diff --git a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
index 9dc3506d23fc..79242cf9bb79 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/pmu.c
@@ -501,10 +501,16 @@ static void pmu_add_cpu_aliases(struct list_head *head)
 	struct pmu_event *pe;
 	char *cpuid;
 
-	cpuid = get_cpuid_str();
+	cpuid = getenv("PERF_CPUID");
+	if (cpuid)
+		cpuid = strdup(cpuid);
+	if (!cpuid)
+		cpuid = get_cpuid_str();
 	if (!cpuid)
 		return;
 
+	pr_debug("Using CPUID %s\n", cpuid);
+
 	i = 0;
 	while (1) {
 		map = &pmu_events_map[i++];