diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index 540cd2dcd3e7..59fcc790c865 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -2129,6 +2129,7 @@ static int process_cpu_topology(struct feat_fd *ff, void *data __maybe_unused)
 	int cpu_nr = ff->ph->env.nr_cpus_avail;
 	u64 size = 0;
 	struct perf_header *ph = ff->ph;
+	bool do_core_id_test = true;
 
 	ph->env.cpu = calloc(cpu_nr, sizeof(*ph->env.cpu));
 	if (!ph->env.cpu)
@@ -2183,6 +2184,13 @@ static int process_cpu_topology(struct feat_fd *ff, void *data __maybe_unused)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	/* On s390 the socket_id number is not related to the numbers of cpus.
+	 * The socket_id number might be higher than the numbers of cpus.
+	 * This depends on the configuration.
+	 */
+	if (ph->env.arch && !strncmp(ph->env.arch, "s390", 4))
+		do_core_id_test = false;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < (u32)cpu_nr; i++) {
 		if (do_read_u32(ff, &nr))
 			goto free_cpu;
@@ -2192,7 +2200,7 @@ static int process_cpu_topology(struct feat_fd *ff, void *data __maybe_unused)
 		if (do_read_u32(ff, &nr))
 			goto free_cpu;
 
-		if (nr != (u32)-1 && nr > (u32)cpu_nr) {
+		if (do_core_id_test && nr != (u32)-1 && nr > (u32)cpu_nr) {
 			pr_debug("socket_id number is too big."
 				 "You may need to upgrade the perf tool.\n");
 			goto free_cpu;