diff --git a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
index 8336dd8e8098..c456fdeae06a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
@@ -162,10 +162,10 @@ static bool contains_event(struct evsel **metric_events, int num_events,
 	return false;
 }
 
-static bool evsel_same_pmu(struct evsel *ev1, struct evsel *ev2)
+static bool evsel_same_pmu_or_none(struct evsel *ev1, struct evsel *ev2)
 {
 	if (!ev1->pmu_name || !ev2->pmu_name)
-		return false;
+		return true;
 
 	return !strcmp(ev1->pmu_name, ev2->pmu_name);
 }
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ static struct evsel *find_evsel_group(struct evlist *perf_evlist,
 			 */
 			if (!has_constraint &&
 			    ev->leader != metric_events[i]->leader &&
-			    evsel_same_pmu(ev->leader, metric_events[i]->leader))
+			    evsel_same_pmu_or_none(ev->leader, metric_events[i]->leader))
 				break;
 			if (!strcmp(metric_events[i]->name, ev->name)) {
 				set_bit(ev->idx, evlist_used);