diff --git a/arch/metag/kernel/perf/perf_event.c b/arch/metag/kernel/perf/perf_event.c
index 5cc4d4dcf3cf..02c08737f6aa 100644
--- a/arch/metag/kernel/perf/perf_event.c
+++ b/arch/metag/kernel/perf/perf_event.c
@@ -567,16 +567,6 @@ static int _hw_perf_event_init(struct perf_event *event)
 	if (mapping == -1)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	/*
-	 * Early cores have "limited" counters - they have no overflow
-	 * interrupts - and so are unable to do sampling without extra work
-	 * and timer assistance.
-	 */
-	if (metag_pmu->max_period == 0) {
-		if (hwc->sample_period)
-			return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Don't assign an index until the event is placed into the hardware.
 	 * -1 signifies that we're still deciding where to put it. On SMP
@@ -866,6 +856,15 @@ static int __init init_hw_perf_events(void)
 	pr_info("enabled with %s PMU driver, %d counters available\n",
 			metag_pmu->name, metag_pmu->max_events);
 
+	/*
+	 * Early cores have "limited" counters - they have no overflow
+	 * interrupts - and so are unable to do sampling without extra work
+	 * and timer assistance.
+	 */
+	if (metag_pmu->max_period == 0) {
+		metag_pmu->pmu.capabilities |= PERF_PMU_CAP_NO_INTERRUPT;
+	}
+
 	/* Initialise the active events and reservation mutex */
 	atomic_set(&metag_pmu->active_events, 0);
 	mutex_init(&metag_pmu->reserve_mutex);