diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index ea40e4e8b227..c941bb640f49 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ static int create_perf_stat_counter(struct perf_evsel *evsel,
 	if (system_wide)
 		return perf_evsel__open_per_cpu(evsel, evsel_list->cpus,
 						group, group_fd);
-	if (!target_pid && !target_tid) {
+	if (!target_pid && !target_tid && (!group || evsel == first)) {
 		attr->disabled = 1;
 		attr->enable_on_exec = 1;
 	}