diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index a0064dd706538..6ed890480c4aa 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -2458,7 +2458,11 @@ static void perf_remove_from_context(struct perf_event *event, unsigned long fla
 	 * event_function_call() user.
 	 */
 	raw_spin_lock_irq(&ctx->lock);
-	if (!ctx->is_active) {
+	/*
+	 * Cgroup events are per-cpu events, and must IPI because of
+	 * cgrp_cpuctx_list.
+	 */
+	if (!ctx->is_active && !is_cgroup_event(event)) {
 		__perf_remove_from_context(event, __get_cpu_context(ctx),
 					   ctx, (void *)flags);
 		raw_spin_unlock_irq(&ctx->lock);
@@ -2891,11 +2895,14 @@ perf_install_in_context(struct perf_event_context *ctx,
 	 * perf_event_attr::disabled events will not run and can be initialized
 	 * without IPI. Except when this is the first event for the context, in
 	 * that case we need the magic of the IPI to set ctx->is_active.
+	 * Similarly, cgroup events for the context also needs the IPI to
+	 * manipulate the cgrp_cpuctx_list.
 	 *
 	 * The IOC_ENABLE that is sure to follow the creation of a disabled
 	 * event will issue the IPI and reprogram the hardware.
 	 */
-	if (__perf_effective_state(event) == PERF_EVENT_STATE_OFF && ctx->nr_events) {
+	if (__perf_effective_state(event) == PERF_EVENT_STATE_OFF &&
+	    ctx->nr_events && !is_cgroup_event(event)) {
 		raw_spin_lock_irq(&ctx->lock);
 		if (ctx->task == TASK_TOMBSTONE) {
 			raw_spin_unlock_irq(&ctx->lock);