diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pager.c b/tools/perf/util/pager.c
index 3322b8446e89..31ee02d4e988 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pager.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pager.c
@@ -57,13 +57,13 @@ void setup_pager(void)
 	}
 	if (!pager)
 		pager = getenv("PAGER");
-	if (!pager) {
-		if (!access("/usr/bin/pager", X_OK))
-			pager = "/usr/bin/pager";
-	}
+	if (!(pager || access("/usr/bin/pager", X_OK)))
+		pager = "/usr/bin/pager";
+	if (!(pager || access("/usr/bin/less", X_OK)))
+		pager = "/usr/bin/less";
 	if (!pager)
-		pager = "less";
-	else if (!*pager || !strcmp(pager, "cat"))
+		pager = "cat";
+	if (!*pager || !strcmp(pager, "cat"))
 		return;
 
 	spawned_pager = 1; /* means we are emitting to terminal */