diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
index fb4d92c5c3394..414c566c4650a 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.c
@@ -10965,11 +10965,14 @@ struct bpf_link *bpf_program__attach_perf_event_opts(const struct bpf_program *p
 		}
 		link->link.fd = pfd;
 	}
-	if (ioctl(pfd, PERF_EVENT_IOC_ENABLE, 0) < 0) {
-		err = -errno;
-		pr_warn("prog '%s': failed to enable perf_event FD %d: %s\n",
-			prog->name, pfd, errstr(err));
-		goto err_out;
+
+	if (!OPTS_GET(opts, no_ioctl_enable, false)) {
+		if (ioctl(pfd, PERF_EVENT_IOC_ENABLE, 0) < 0) {
+			err = -errno;
+			pr_warn("prog '%s': failed to enable perf_event FD %d: %s\n",
+				prog->name, pfd, errstr(err));
+			goto err_out;
+		}
 	}
 
 	return &link->link;
diff --git a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
index d1cf813a057bc..2d3cc436cdbf7 100644
--- a/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
+++ b/tools/lib/bpf/libbpf.h
@@ -499,9 +499,11 @@ struct bpf_perf_event_opts {
 	__u64 bpf_cookie;
 	/* don't use BPF link when attach BPF program */
 	bool force_ioctl_attach;
+	/* don't automatically enable the event */
+	bool no_ioctl_enable;
 	size_t :0;
 };
-#define bpf_perf_event_opts__last_field force_ioctl_attach
+#define bpf_perf_event_opts__last_field no_ioctl_enable
 
 LIBBPF_API struct bpf_link *
 bpf_program__attach_perf_event(const struct bpf_program *prog, int pfd);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/bpf-filter.c b/tools/perf/util/bpf-filter.c
index d0e013eeb0f75..d480ccaf36625 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/bpf-filter.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/bpf-filter.c
@@ -451,6 +451,8 @@ int perf_bpf_filter__prepare(struct evsel *evsel, struct target *target)
 	struct bpf_link *link;
 	struct perf_bpf_filter_entry *entry;
 	bool needs_idx_hash = !target__has_cpu(target);
+	DECLARE_LIBBPF_OPTS(bpf_perf_event_opts, pe_opts,
+			    .no_ioctl_enable = true);
 
 	entry = calloc(MAX_FILTERS, sizeof(*entry));
 	if (entry == NULL)
@@ -522,7 +524,8 @@ int perf_bpf_filter__prepare(struct evsel *evsel, struct target *target)
 	prog = skel->progs.perf_sample_filter;
 	for (x = 0; x < xyarray__max_x(evsel->core.fd); x++) {
 		for (y = 0; y < xyarray__max_y(evsel->core.fd); y++) {
-			link = bpf_program__attach_perf_event(prog, FD(evsel, x, y));
+			link = bpf_program__attach_perf_event_opts(prog, FD(evsel, x, y),
+								   &pe_opts);
 			if (IS_ERR(link)) {
 				pr_err("Failed to attach perf sample-filter program\n");
 				ret = PTR_ERR(link);