diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index 7accaf8ef689..ea3f0745d7ad 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -1031,6 +1031,7 @@ int cmd_report(int argc, const char **argv)
 	struct stat st;
 	bool has_br_stack = false;
 	int branch_mode = -1;
+	int last_key = 0;
 	bool branch_call_mode = false;
 #define CALLCHAIN_DEFAULT_OPT  "graph,0.5,caller,function,percent"
 	static const char report_callchain_help[] = "Display call graph (stack chain/backtrace):\n\n"
@@ -1396,7 +1397,8 @@ repeat:
 		sort_order = sort_tmp;
 	}
 
-	if (setup_sorting(session->evlist) < 0) {
+	if ((last_key != K_SWITCH_INPUT_DATA) &&
+	    (setup_sorting(session->evlist) < 0)) {
 		if (sort_order)
 			parse_options_usage(report_usage, options, "s", 1);
 		if (field_order)
@@ -1475,6 +1477,7 @@ repeat:
 	ret = __cmd_report(&report);
 	if (ret == K_SWITCH_INPUT_DATA) {
 		perf_session__delete(session);
+		last_key = K_SWITCH_INPUT_DATA;
 		goto repeat;
 	} else
 		ret = 0;