diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 774c90713a53..f1a939ebc19c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -573,13 +573,15 @@ static int __cmd_record(struct perf_record *rec, int argc, const char **argv)
 					 perf_event__synthesize_guest_os, tool);
 	}
 
-	if (!opts->target.system_wide)
+	if (perf_target__has_task(&opts->target))
 		err = perf_event__synthesize_thread_map(tool, evsel_list->threads,
 						  process_synthesized_event,
 						  machine);
-	else
+	else if (perf_target__has_cpu(&opts->target))
 		err = perf_event__synthesize_threads(tool, process_synthesized_event,
 					       machine);
+	else /* command specified */
+		err = 0;
 
 	if (err != 0)
 		goto out_delete_session;