diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/hist.c b/tools/perf/ui/hist.c
index 12223d791e9f..edbf854e8e1c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/hist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/hist.c
@@ -514,6 +514,9 @@ void perf_hpp_list__column_register(struct perf_hpp_list *list,
 void perf_hpp_list__register_sort_field(struct perf_hpp_list *list,
 					struct perf_hpp_fmt *format)
 {
+	if (perf_hpp__is_sort_entry(format) || perf_hpp__is_dynamic_entry(format))
+		list->nr_sort_keys++;
+
 	list_add_tail(&format->sort_list, &list->sorts);
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/hist.h b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
index 480d2eb26001..d08e4f36f193 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/hist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ struct perf_hpp_fmt {
 struct perf_hpp_list {
 	struct list_head fields;
 	struct list_head sorts;
+	int nr_sort_keys;
 };
 
 extern struct perf_hpp_list perf_hpp_list;