diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
index 70067862e07f..cd9dec46c19f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ int cmd_annotate(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 	else if (use_tui)
 		use_browser = 1;
 
-	setup_browser();
+	setup_browser(true);
 
 	symbol_conf.priv_size = sizeof(struct sym_priv);
 	symbol_conf.try_vmlinux_path = true;
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index a6a4e5457b6f..080937c3a656 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ int cmd_report(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 		use_browser = 1;
 
 	if (strcmp(input_name, "-") != 0)
-		setup_browser();
+		setup_browser(true);
 	else
 		use_browser = 0;
 	/*
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cache.h b/tools/perf/util/cache.h
index a7729797fd96..fc5e5a09d5b9 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cache.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cache.h
@@ -34,13 +34,14 @@ extern int pager_use_color;
 extern int use_browser;
 
 #ifdef NO_NEWT_SUPPORT
-static inline void setup_browser(void)
+static inline void setup_browser(bool fallback_to_pager)
 {
-	setup_pager();
+	if (fallback_to_pager)
+		setup_pager();
 }
 static inline void exit_browser(bool wait_for_ok __used) {}
 #else
-void setup_browser(void);
+void setup_browser(bool fallback_to_pager);
 void exit_browser(bool wait_for_ok);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/ui/setup.c b/tools/perf/util/ui/setup.c
index 662085032eb7..fbf1a145492f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/ui/setup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/ui/setup.c
@@ -14,11 +14,12 @@ static void newt_suspend(void *d __used)
 	newtResume();
 }
 
-void setup_browser(void)
+void setup_browser(bool fallback_to_pager)
 {
 	if (!isatty(1) || !use_browser || dump_trace) {
 		use_browser = 0;
-		setup_pager();
+		if (fallback_to_pager)
+			setup_pager();
 		return;
 	}