diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-test.c b/tools/perf/builtin-test.c
index d33143efefce..4aed1553db56 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-test.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-test.c
@@ -1026,15 +1026,15 @@ static int __test__rdpmc(void)
 
 	fd = sys_perf_event_open(&attr, 0, -1, -1, 0);
 	if (fd < 0) {
-		pr_debug("Error: sys_perf_event_open() syscall returned "
-			 "with %d (%s)\n", fd, strerror(errno));
+		pr_err("Error: sys_perf_event_open() syscall returned "
+		       "with %d (%s)\n", fd, strerror(errno));
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	addr = mmap(NULL, page_size, PROT_READ, MAP_SHARED, fd, 0);
 	if (addr == (void *)(-1)) {
-		pr_debug("Error: mmap() syscall returned with (%s)\n",
-			 strerror(errno));
+		pr_err("Error: mmap() syscall returned with (%s)\n",
+		       strerror(errno));
 		goto out_close;
 	}