diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
index b22dbb16f877..2a2c78f80876 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
@@ -125,7 +125,8 @@ static int build_id_cache__kcore_existing(const char *from_dir, char *to_dir,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int build_id_cache__add_kcore(const char *filename, const char *debugdir)
+static int build_id_cache__add_kcore(const char *filename, const char *debugdir,
+				     bool force)
 {
 	char dir[32], sbuildid[BUILD_ID_SIZE * 2 + 1];
 	char from_dir[PATH_MAX], to_dir[PATH_MAX];
@@ -144,7 +145,8 @@ static int build_id_cache__add_kcore(const char *filename, const char *debugdir)
 	scnprintf(to_dir, sizeof(to_dir), "%s/[kernel.kcore]/%s",
 		  debugdir, sbuildid);
 
-	if (!build_id_cache__kcore_existing(from_dir, to_dir, sizeof(to_dir))) {
+	if (!force &&
+	    !build_id_cache__kcore_existing(from_dir, to_dir, sizeof(to_dir))) {
 		pr_debug("same kcore found in %s\n", to_dir);
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -389,7 +391,7 @@ int cmd_buildid_cache(int argc, const char **argv,
 	}
 
 	if (kcore_filename &&
-	    build_id_cache__add_kcore(kcore_filename, debugdir))
+	    build_id_cache__add_kcore(kcore_filename, debugdir, force))
 		pr_warning("Couldn't add %s\n", kcore_filename);
 
 	return ret;