diff --git a/arch/arm/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c b/arch/arm/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
index 6284779d64ee..b8df45883cf7 100644
--- a/arch/arm/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
+++ b/arch/arm/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ int arch_validate_hwbkpt_settings(struct perf_event *bp)
 	info->address &= ~alignment_mask;
 	info->ctrl.len <<= offset;
 
-	if (!bp->overflow_handler) {
+	if (is_default_overflow_handler(bp)) {
 		/*
 		 * Mismatch breakpoints are required for single-stepping
 		 * breakpoints.
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ static void watchpoint_handler(unsigned long addr, unsigned int fsr,
 		 * mismatch breakpoint so we can single-step over the
 		 * watchpoint trigger.
 		 */
-		if (!wp->overflow_handler)
+		if (is_default_overflow_handler(wp))
 			enable_single_step(wp, instruction_pointer(regs));
 
 unlock:
diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c b/arch/arm64/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
index b45c95d34b83..4ef5373f9a76 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/hw_breakpoint.c
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ static int breakpoint_handler(unsigned long unused, unsigned int esr,
 		perf_bp_event(bp, regs);
 
 		/* Do we need to handle the stepping? */
-		if (!bp->overflow_handler)
+		if (is_default_overflow_handler(bp))
 			step = 1;
 unlock:
 		rcu_read_unlock();
@@ -712,7 +712,7 @@ static int watchpoint_handler(unsigned long addr, unsigned int esr,
 		perf_bp_event(wp, regs);
 
 		/* Do we need to handle the stepping? */
-		if (!wp->overflow_handler)
+		if (is_default_overflow_handler(wp))
 			step = 1;
 
 unlock:
diff --git a/include/linux/perf_event.h b/include/linux/perf_event.h
index 15588d4c581d..4065ca2d7149 100644
--- a/include/linux/perf_event.h
+++ b/include/linux/perf_event.h
@@ -838,6 +838,12 @@ extern void perf_event_output(struct perf_event *event,
 				struct perf_sample_data *data,
 				struct pt_regs *regs);
 
+static inline bool
+is_default_overflow_handler(struct perf_event *event)
+{
+	return (event->overflow_handler == perf_event_output);
+}
+
 extern void
 perf_event_header__init_id(struct perf_event_header *header,
 			   struct perf_sample_data *data,
diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 51386e84293e..8c3b35f2a269 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -6628,10 +6628,7 @@ static int __perf_event_overflow(struct perf_event *event,
 		irq_work_queue(&event->pending);
 	}
 
-	if (event->overflow_handler)
-		event->overflow_handler(event, data, regs);
-	else
-		perf_event_output(event, data, regs);
+	event->overflow_handler(event, data, regs);
 
 	if (*perf_event_fasync(event) && event->pending_kill) {
 		event->pending_wakeup = 1;
@@ -8152,8 +8149,13 @@ perf_event_alloc(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int cpu,
 		context = parent_event->overflow_handler_context;
 	}
 
-	event->overflow_handler	= overflow_handler;
-	event->overflow_handler_context = context;
+	if (overflow_handler) {
+		event->overflow_handler	= overflow_handler;
+		event->overflow_handler_context = context;
+	} else {
+		event->overflow_handler = perf_event_output;
+		event->overflow_handler_context = NULL;
+	}
 
 	perf_event__state_init(event);