diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index f1bbe2a589f5..a75de3940b97 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -1245,6 +1245,13 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __maybe_unused)
 	/* display thread wants entries to be collapsed in a different tree */
 	sort__need_collapse = 1;
 
+	if (top.use_stdio)
+		use_browser = 0;
+	else if (top.use_tui)
+		use_browser = 1;
+
+	setup_browser(false);
+
 	if (setup_sorting(top.evlist) < 0) {
 		if (sort_order)
 			parse_options_usage(top_usage, options, "s", 1);
@@ -1254,13 +1261,6 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __maybe_unused)
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
-	if (top.use_stdio)
-		use_browser = 0;
-	else if (top.use_tui)
-		use_browser = 1;
-
-	setup_browser(false);
-
 	status = target__validate(target);
 	if (status) {
 		target__strerror(target, status, errbuf, BUFSIZ);