diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
index ffa6f0a90741..b1c2f0a20306 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/parse-events.c
@@ -2103,7 +2103,7 @@ static int test_event_fake_pmu(const char *str)
 
 	parse_events_error__init(&err);
 	perf_pmu__test_parse_init();
-	ret = __parse_events(evlist, str, &err, &perf_pmu__fake);
+	ret = __parse_events(evlist, str, &err, &perf_pmu__fake, /*warn_if_reordered=*/true);
 	if (ret) {
 		pr_debug("failed to parse event '%s', err %d, str '%s'\n",
 			 str, ret, err.str);
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c b/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c
index 6ccd413b5983..7f8e86452527 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/pmu-events.c
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@ static int check_parse_id(const char *id, struct parse_events_error *error,
 		 */
 		perf_pmu__test_parse_init();
 	}
-	ret = __parse_events(evlist, dup, error, fake_pmu);
+	ret = __parse_events(evlist, dup, error, fake_pmu, /*warn_if_reordered=*/true);
 	free(dup);
 
 	evlist__delete(evlist);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
index de6dd527a2ba..5783f4c2d1ef 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
@@ -1441,7 +1441,8 @@ static int parse_ids(bool metric_no_merge, struct perf_pmu *fake_pmu,
 	}
 	pr_debug("Parsing metric events '%s'\n", events.buf);
 	parse_events_error__init(&parse_error);
-	ret = __parse_events(parsed_evlist, events.buf, &parse_error, fake_pmu);
+	ret = __parse_events(parsed_evlist, events.buf, &parse_error, fake_pmu,
+			     /*warn_if_reordered=*/false);
 	if (ret) {
 		parse_events_error__print(&parse_error, events.buf);
 		goto err_out;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index 9ec3c1dc81e0..3b2e5bb3e852 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -2157,11 +2157,13 @@ static int evlist__cmp(void *state, const struct list_head *l, const struct list
 	return arch_evlist__cmp(lhs, rhs);
 }
 
-static void parse_events__sort_events_and_fix_groups(struct list_head *list)
+static bool parse_events__sort_events_and_fix_groups(struct list_head *list)
 {
-	int idx = -1;
+	int idx = 0, unsorted_idx = -1;
 	struct evsel *pos, *cur_leader = NULL;
 	struct perf_evsel *cur_leaders_grp = NULL;
+	bool idx_changed = false;
+	int orig_num_leaders = 0, num_leaders = 0;
 
 	/*
 	 * Compute index to insert ungrouped events at. Place them where the
@@ -2170,15 +2172,22 @@ static void parse_events__sort_events_and_fix_groups(struct list_head *list)
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, list, core.node) {
 		const struct evsel *pos_leader = evsel__leader(pos);
 
-		if (pos != pos_leader || pos->core.nr_members > 1)
-			continue;
+		if (pos == pos_leader)
+			orig_num_leaders++;
 
-		idx = pos->core.idx;
-		break;
+		/*
+		 * Ensure indexes are sequential, in particular for multiple
+		 * event lists being merged. The indexes are used to detect when
+		 * the user order is modified.
+		 */
+		pos->core.idx = idx++;
+
+		if (unsorted_idx == -1 && pos == pos_leader && pos->core.nr_members < 2)
+			unsorted_idx = pos->core.idx;
 	}
 
 	/* Sort events. */
-	list_sort(&idx, list, evlist__cmp);
+	list_sort(&unsorted_idx, list, evlist__cmp);
 
 	/*
 	 * Recompute groups, splitting for PMUs and adding groups for events
@@ -2192,6 +2201,8 @@ static void parse_events__sort_events_and_fix_groups(struct list_head *list)
 		bool force_grouped = arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(pos);
 
 		/* Reset index and nr_members. */
+		if (pos->core.idx != idx)
+			idx_changed = true;
 		pos->core.idx = idx++;
 		pos->core.nr_members = 0;
 
@@ -2225,12 +2236,18 @@ static void parse_events__sort_events_and_fix_groups(struct list_head *list)
 		}
 	}
 	list_for_each_entry(pos, list, core.node) {
-		pos->core.leader->nr_members++;
+		struct evsel *pos_leader = evsel__leader(pos);
+
+		if (pos == pos_leader)
+			num_leaders++;
+		pos_leader->core.nr_members++;
 	}
+	return idx_changed || num_leaders != orig_num_leaders;
 }
 
 int __parse_events(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str,
-		   struct parse_events_error *err, struct perf_pmu *fake_pmu)
+		   struct parse_events_error *err, struct perf_pmu *fake_pmu,
+		   bool warn_if_reordered)
 {
 	struct parse_events_state parse_state = {
 		.list	  = LIST_HEAD_INIT(parse_state.list),
@@ -2250,7 +2267,9 @@ int __parse_events(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str,
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	parse_events__sort_events_and_fix_groups(&parse_state.list);
+	if (parse_events__sort_events_and_fix_groups(&parse_state.list) &&
+	    warn_if_reordered && !parse_state.wild_card_pmus)
+		pr_warning("WARNING: events were regrouped to match PMUs\n");
 
 	/*
 	 * Add list to the evlist even with errors to allow callers to clean up.
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
index 767ad1729228..46204c1a7916 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
@@ -26,13 +26,13 @@ int parse_events_option(const struct option *opt, const char *str, int unset);
 int parse_events_option_new_evlist(const struct option *opt, const char *str, int unset);
 __attribute__((nonnull(1, 2, 3)))
 int __parse_events(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str, struct parse_events_error *error,
-		   struct perf_pmu *fake_pmu);
+		   struct perf_pmu *fake_pmu, bool warn_if_reordered);
 
-__attribute__((nonnull))
+__attribute__((nonnull(1, 2, 3)))
 static inline int parse_events(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str,
 			       struct parse_events_error *err)
 {
-	return __parse_events(evlist, str, err, NULL);
+	return __parse_events(evlist, str, err, /*fake_pmu=*/NULL, /*warn_if_reordered=*/true);
 }
 
 int parse_event(struct evlist *evlist, const char *str);
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ struct parse_events_state {
 	int			   stoken;
 	struct perf_pmu		  *fake_pmu;
 	char			  *hybrid_pmu_name;
+	bool			   wild_card_pmus;
 };
 
 void parse_events__shrink_config_terms(void);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
index 3a04602d2982..4488443e506e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.y
@@ -323,6 +323,7 @@ event_pmu_name opt_pmu_config
 				if (!parse_events_add_pmu(_parse_state, list, pmu->name, terms,
 							  /*auto_merge_stats=*/true)) {
 					ok++;
+					parse_state->wild_card_pmus = true;
 				}
 				parse_events_terms__delete(terms);
 			}