diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 2a0ec09b9b77..e40f86ea3641 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -1258,6 +1258,10 @@ int cmd_top(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 	if (top.target.uid_str != NULL && top.target.uid == UINT_MAX - 1)
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 
+	if (top.target.tid == 0 && top.target.pid == 0 &&
+	    top.target.uid_str == NULL)
+		top.target.system_wide = true;
+
 	if (perf_evlist__create_maps(top.evlist, &top.target) < 0)
 		usage_with_options(top_usage, options);