diff --git a/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c b/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
index d611cab214a6..eb1484c86bb4 100644
--- a/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
+++ b/arch/x86/events/intel/core.c
@@ -3176,13 +3176,16 @@ static void intel_pmu_cpu_starting(int cpu)
 
 	if (x86_pmu.flags & PMU_FL_EXCL_CNTRS) {
 		for_each_cpu(i, topology_sibling_cpumask(cpu)) {
+			struct cpu_hw_events *sibling;
 			struct intel_excl_cntrs *c;
 
-			c = per_cpu(cpu_hw_events, i).excl_cntrs;
+			sibling = &per_cpu(cpu_hw_events, i);
+			c = sibling->excl_cntrs;
 			if (c && c->core_id == core_id) {
 				cpuc->kfree_on_online[1] = cpuc->excl_cntrs;
 				cpuc->excl_cntrs = c;
-				cpuc->excl_thread_id = 1;
+				if (!sibling->excl_thread_id)
+					cpuc->excl_thread_id = 1;
 				break;
 			}
 		}