diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
index 2f3ff69fc4e7..c0783b4f7b6c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
@@ -2180,7 +2180,7 @@ int cmd_script(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __maybe_unused)
 		    "Show the mmap events"),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN('\0', "show-switch-events", &script.show_switch_events,
 		    "Show context switch events (if recorded)"),
-	OPT_BOOLEAN('f', "force", &file.force, "don't complain, do it"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('f', "force", &symbol_conf.force, "don't complain, do it"),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "ns", &nanosecs,
 		    "Use 9 decimal places when displaying time"),
 	OPT_CALLBACK_OPTARG(0, "itrace", &itrace_synth_opts, NULL, "opts",
@@ -2212,6 +2212,7 @@ int cmd_script(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __maybe_unused)
 			     PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
 
 	file.path = input_name;
+	file.force = symbol_conf.force;
 
 	if (argc > 1 && !strncmp(argv[0], "rec", strlen("rec"))) {
 		rec_script_path = get_script_path(argv[1], RECORD_SUFFIX);