diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index 83c6515e425d..7aaee39f6774 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -268,6 +268,13 @@ again:
 			if (evlist->threads->map[0] == -1 || evlist->threads->nr > 1)
 				printf("%d ", sample.tid);
 
+			if (sample.raw_data == NULL) {
+				printf("%s sample with no payload for tid: %d, cpu %d, raw_size=%d, skipping...\n",
+				       perf_evsel__name(evsel), sample.tid,
+				       sample.cpu, sample.raw_size);
+				continue;
+			}
+
 			handler = evsel->handler.func;
 			handler(trace, evsel, &sample);
 		}