diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 26d8da560446..cb52aea9607d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -4341,9 +4341,13 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 		record.opts.tail_synthesize = true;
 
 	if (rec->evlist->core.nr_entries == 0) {
-		err = parse_event(rec->evlist, "cycles:P");
-		if (err)
+		struct evlist *def_evlist = evlist__new_default();
+
+		if (!def_evlist)
 			goto out;
+
+		evlist__splice_list_tail(rec->evlist, &def_evlist->core.entries);
+		evlist__delete(def_evlist);
 	}
 
 	if (rec->opts.target.tid && !rec->opts.no_inherit_set)