diff --git a/include/linux/perf_event.h b/include/linux/perf_event.h
index e71e99eb9a4e..def866f7269b 100644
--- a/include/linux/perf_event.h
+++ b/include/linux/perf_event.h
@@ -1016,6 +1016,14 @@ static inline int is_software_event(struct perf_event *event)
 	return event->event_caps & PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Return 1 for event in sw context, 0 for event in hw context
+ */
+static inline int in_software_context(struct perf_event *event)
+{
+	return event->ctx->pmu->task_ctx_nr == perf_sw_context;
+}
+
 extern struct static_key perf_swevent_enabled[PERF_COUNT_SW_MAX];
 
 extern void ___perf_sw_event(u32, u64, struct pt_regs *, u64);
diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 67612ce359ad..ce6aa5ff3c96 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -10521,19 +10521,20 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(perf_event_open,
 	if (pmu->task_ctx_nr == perf_sw_context)
 		event->event_caps |= PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE;
 
-	if (group_leader &&
-	    (is_software_event(event) != is_software_event(group_leader))) {
-		if (is_software_event(event)) {
+	if (group_leader) {
+		if (is_software_event(event) &&
+		    !in_software_context(group_leader)) {
 			/*
-			 * If event and group_leader are not both a software
-			 * event, and event is, then group leader is not.
+			 * If the event is a sw event, but the group_leader
+			 * is on hw context.
 			 *
-			 * Allow the addition of software events to !software
-			 * groups, this is safe because software events never
-			 * fail to schedule.
+			 * Allow the addition of software events to hw
+			 * groups, this is safe because software events
+			 * never fail to schedule.
 			 */
-			pmu = group_leader->pmu;
-		} else if (is_software_event(group_leader) &&
+			pmu = group_leader->ctx->pmu;
+		} else if (!is_software_event(event) &&
+			   is_software_event(group_leader) &&
 			   (group_leader->group_caps & PERF_EV_CAP_SOFTWARE)) {
 			/*
 			 * In case the group is a pure software group, and we