diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index 5aacb7ed8c24a..82e14faecc3e4 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -1944,6 +1944,9 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 		free(str);
 	}
 
+	if (!stat_config.topdown_level)
+		stat_config.topdown_level = TOPDOWN_MAX_LEVEL;
+
 	if (!evsel_list->core.nr_entries) {
 		if (target__has_cpu(&target))
 			default_attrs0[0].config = PERF_COUNT_SW_CPU_CLOCK;
@@ -1960,8 +1963,6 @@ static int add_default_attributes(void)
 		}
 		if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, default_attrs1) < 0)
 			return -1;
-
-		stat_config.topdown_level = TOPDOWN_MAX_LEVEL;
 		/* Platform specific attrs */
 		if (evlist__add_default_attrs(evsel_list, default_null_attrs) < 0)
 			return -1;