diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
index 9d5f0b57c4c1..8dc0baba8798 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/perf-record.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int test__PERF_RECORD(int subtest __maybe_unused)
 	};
 	cpu_set_t cpu_mask;
 	size_t cpu_mask_size = sizeof(cpu_mask);
-	struct perf_evlist *evlist = perf_evlist__new_default();
+	struct perf_evlist *evlist = perf_evlist__new_dummy();
 	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
 	struct perf_sample sample;
 	const char *cmd = "sleep";
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ int test__PERF_RECORD(int subtest __maybe_unused)
 	int total_events = 0, nr_events[PERF_RECORD_MAX] = { 0, };
 	char sbuf[STRERR_BUFSIZE];
 
+	if (evlist == NULL) /* Fallback for kernels lacking PERF_COUNT_SW_DUMMY */
+		evlist = perf_evlist__new_default();
+
 	if (evlist == NULL || argv == NULL) {
 		pr_debug("Not enough memory to create evlist\n");
 		goto out;