diff --git a/arch/x86/events/core.c b/arch/x86/events/core.c
index 38623e219816..9604b2574d6c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/events/core.c
+++ b/arch/x86/events/core.c
@@ -505,6 +505,10 @@ int x86_pmu_hw_config(struct perf_event *event)
 
 		if (event->attr.precise_ip > precise)
 			return -EOPNOTSUPP;
+
+		/* There's no sense in having PEBS for non sampling events: */
+		if (!is_sampling_event(event))
+			return -EINVAL;
 	}
 	/*
 	 * check that PEBS LBR correction does not conflict with