diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/tui/helpline.c b/tools/perf/ui/tui/helpline.c
index 1c8b9afd5d6e..88f5143a5981 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/tui/helpline.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/tui/helpline.c
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "../libslang.h"
 
 char ui_helpline__last_msg[1024];
+bool tui_helpline__set;
 
 static void tui_helpline__pop(void)
 {
@@ -35,6 +36,8 @@ static int tui_helpline__show(const char *format, va_list ap)
 			sizeof(ui_helpline__last_msg) - backlog, format, ap);
 	backlog += ret;
 
+	tui_helpline__set = true;
+
 	if (ui_helpline__last_msg[backlog - 1] == '\n') {
 		ui_helpline__puts(ui_helpline__last_msg);
 		SLsmg_refresh();
diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/tui/setup.c b/tools/perf/ui/tui/setup.c
index 3c38f25b1695..b77e1d771363 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/tui/setup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/tui/setup.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 static volatile int ui__need_resize;
 
 extern struct perf_error_ops perf_tui_eops;
+extern bool tui_helpline__set;
 
 extern void hist_browser__init_hpp(void);
 
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ out:
 
 void ui__exit(bool wait_for_ok)
 {
-	if (wait_for_ok)
+	if (wait_for_ok && tui_helpline__set)
 		ui__question_window("Fatal Error",
 				    ui_helpline__last_msg,
 				    "Press any key...", 0);