diff --git a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
index b25bf82c121f..dda5b4322945 100644
--- a/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
+++ b/tools/perf/ui/browsers/hists.c
@@ -2135,7 +2135,7 @@ static int hists__browser_title(struct hists *hists,
 		printed += snprintf(bf + printed, size - printed,
 				    ", UID: %s", hists->uid_filter_str);
 	if (thread) {
-		if (sort__has_thread) {
+		if (hists__has(hists, thread)) {
 			printed += scnprintf(bf + printed, size - printed,
 				    ", Thread: %s(%d)",
 				     (thread->comm_set ? thread__comm_str(thread) : ""),
@@ -2320,7 +2320,7 @@ do_zoom_thread(struct hist_browser *browser, struct popup_action *act)
 {
 	struct thread *thread = act->thread;
 
-	if ((!sort__has_thread && !sort__has_comm) || thread == NULL)
+	if ((!hists__has(browser->hists, thread) && !sort__has_comm) || thread == NULL)
 		return 0;
 
 	if (browser->hists->thread_filter) {
@@ -2329,7 +2329,7 @@ do_zoom_thread(struct hist_browser *browser, struct popup_action *act)
 		thread__zput(browser->hists->thread_filter);
 		ui_helpline__pop();
 	} else {
-		if (sort__has_thread) {
+		if (hists__has(browser->hists, thread)) {
 			ui_helpline__fpush("To zoom out press ESC or ENTER + \"Zoom out of %s(%d) thread\"",
 					   thread->comm_set ? thread__comm_str(thread) : "",
 					   thread->tid);
@@ -2354,10 +2354,10 @@ add_thread_opt(struct hist_browser *browser, struct popup_action *act,
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	if ((!sort__has_thread && !sort__has_comm) || thread == NULL)
+	if ((!hists__has(browser->hists, thread) && !sort__has_comm) || thread == NULL)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (sort__has_thread) {
+	if (hists__has(browser->hists, thread)) {
 		ret = asprintf(optstr, "Zoom %s %s(%d) thread",
 			       browser->hists->thread_filter ? "out of" : "into",
 			       thread->comm_set ? thread__comm_str(thread) : "",
@@ -2954,7 +2954,7 @@ skip_annotation:
 			goto skip_scripting;
 
 		if (browser->he_selection) {
-			if (sort__has_thread && thread) {
+			if (hists__has(hists, thread) && thread) {
 				nr_options += add_script_opt(browser,
 							     &actions[nr_options],
 							     &options[nr_options],
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/hist.h b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
index 66f313936faf..adeb4049c488 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/hist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@ struct perf_hpp_list {
 	int sym;
 	int dso;
 	int socket;
+	int thread;
 };
 
 extern struct perf_hpp_list perf_hpp_list;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/sort.c b/tools/perf/util/sort.c
index 712a71ad76a6..000d6e901841 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/sort.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/sort.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ const char	*sort_order;
 const char	*field_order;
 regex_t		ignore_callees_regex;
 int		have_ignore_callees = 0;
-int		sort__has_thread = 0;
 int		sort__has_comm = 0;
 enum sort_mode	sort__mode = SORT_MODE__NORMAL;
 
@@ -2257,7 +2256,7 @@ static int sort_dimension__add(struct perf_hpp_list *list, const char *tok,
 		} else if (sd->entry == &sort_socket) {
 			list->socket = 1;
 		} else if (sd->entry == &sort_thread) {
-			sort__has_thread = 1;
+			list->thread = 1;
 		} else if (sd->entry == &sort_comm) {
 			sort__has_comm = 1;
 		}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/sort.h b/tools/perf/util/sort.h
index 85424a608074..e8d1bf147522 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/sort.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/sort.h
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ extern const char *parent_pattern;
 extern const char default_sort_order[];
 extern regex_t ignore_callees_regex;
 extern int have_ignore_callees;
-extern int sort__has_thread;
 extern int sort__has_comm;
 extern enum sort_mode sort__mode;
 extern struct sort_entry sort_comm;