diff --git a/drivers/perf/fsl_imx8_ddr_perf.c b/drivers/perf/fsl_imx8_ddr_perf.c
index e09bbf3890c4..8dfb67530d6b 100644
--- a/drivers/perf/fsl_imx8_ddr_perf.c
+++ b/drivers/perf/fsl_imx8_ddr_perf.c
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ struct ddr_pmu {
 	const struct fsl_ddr_devtype_data *devtype_data;
 	int irq;
 	int id;
+	int active_counter;
 };
 
 enum ddr_perf_filter_capabilities {
@@ -414,6 +415,10 @@ static void ddr_perf_event_start(struct perf_event *event, int flags)
 
 	ddr_perf_counter_enable(pmu, event->attr.config, counter, true);
 
+	if (!pmu->active_counter++)
+		ddr_perf_counter_enable(pmu, EVENT_CYCLES_ID,
+			EVENT_CYCLES_COUNTER, true);
+
 	hwc->state = 0;
 }
 
@@ -468,6 +473,10 @@ static void ddr_perf_event_stop(struct perf_event *event, int flags)
 	ddr_perf_counter_enable(pmu, event->attr.config, counter, false);
 	ddr_perf_event_update(event);
 
+	if (!--pmu->active_counter)
+		ddr_perf_counter_enable(pmu, EVENT_CYCLES_ID,
+			EVENT_CYCLES_COUNTER, false);
+
 	hwc->state |= PERF_HES_STOPPED;
 }
 
@@ -486,25 +495,10 @@ static void ddr_perf_event_del(struct perf_event *event, int flags)
 
 static void ddr_perf_pmu_enable(struct pmu *pmu)
 {
-	struct ddr_pmu *ddr_pmu = to_ddr_pmu(pmu);
-
-	/* enable cycle counter if cycle is not active event list */
-	if (ddr_pmu->events[EVENT_CYCLES_COUNTER] == NULL)
-		ddr_perf_counter_enable(ddr_pmu,
-				      EVENT_CYCLES_ID,
-				      EVENT_CYCLES_COUNTER,
-				      true);
 }
 
 static void ddr_perf_pmu_disable(struct pmu *pmu)
 {
-	struct ddr_pmu *ddr_pmu = to_ddr_pmu(pmu);
-
-	if (ddr_pmu->events[EVENT_CYCLES_COUNTER] == NULL)
-		ddr_perf_counter_enable(ddr_pmu,
-				      EVENT_CYCLES_ID,
-				      EVENT_CYCLES_COUNTER,
-				      false);
 }
 
 static int ddr_perf_init(struct ddr_pmu *pmu, void __iomem *base,