diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c b/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
index 313a48c6b2bc..f84339cb7f95 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/code-reading.c
@@ -559,7 +559,13 @@ static int do_test_code_reading(bool try_kcore)
 				evlist = NULL;
 				continue;
 			}
-			pr_debug("perf_evlist__open failed\n");
+
+			if (verbose) {
+				char errbuf[512];
+				perf_evlist__strerror_open(evlist, errno, errbuf, sizeof(errbuf));
+				pr_debug("perf_evlist__open() failed!\n%s\n", errbuf);
+			}
+
 			goto out_put;
 		}
 		break;