diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 4869050e7194..ca0251e8470d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -781,6 +781,7 @@ static const char * const record_usage[] = {
  */
 static struct record record = {
 	.opts = {
+		.sample_time	     = true,
 		.mmap_pages	     = UINT_MAX,
 		.user_freq	     = UINT_MAX,
 		.user_interval	     = ULLONG_MAX,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 21a373ebea22..92e5235f5377 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -633,9 +633,12 @@ void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct record_opts *opts)
 	if (opts->period)
 		perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, PERIOD);
 
-	if (!perf_missing_features.sample_id_all &&
-	    (opts->sample_time || !opts->no_inherit ||
-	     target__has_cpu(&opts->target) || per_cpu))
+	/*
+	 * When the user explicitely disabled time don't force it here.
+	 */
+	if (opts->sample_time &&
+	    (!perf_missing_features.sample_id_all &&
+	    (!opts->no_inherit || target__has_cpu(&opts->target) || per_cpu)))
 		perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, TIME);
 
 	if (opts->raw_samples && !evsel->no_aux_samples) {