diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt
index f709de54707b..75fc17f47298 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-list.txt
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ counted. The following modifiers exist:
  P - use maximum detected precise level
  S - read sample value (PERF_SAMPLE_READ)
  D - pin the event to the PMU
+ W - group is weak and will fallback to non-group if not schedulable,
+     only supported in 'perf stat' for now.
 
 The 'p' modifier can be used for specifying how precise the instruction
 address should be. The 'p' modifier can be specified multiple times:
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index 69523ed55894..7cc61eb0d83b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -582,6 +582,32 @@ static bool perf_evsel__should_store_id(struct perf_evsel *counter)
 	return STAT_RECORD || counter->attr.read_format & PERF_FORMAT_ID;
 }
 
+static struct perf_evsel *perf_evsel__reset_weak_group(struct perf_evsel *evsel)
+{
+	struct perf_evsel *c2, *leader;
+	bool is_open = true;
+
+	leader = evsel->leader;
+	pr_debug("Weak group for %s/%d failed\n",
+			leader->name, leader->nr_members);
+
+	/*
+	 * for_each_group_member doesn't work here because it doesn't
+	 * include the first entry.
+	 */
+	evlist__for_each_entry(evsel_list, c2) {
+		if (c2 == evsel)
+			is_open = false;
+		if (c2->leader == leader) {
+			if (is_open)
+				perf_evsel__close(c2);
+			c2->leader = c2;
+			c2->nr_members = 0;
+		}
+	}
+	return leader;
+}
+
 static int __run_perf_stat(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
 	int interval = stat_config.interval;
@@ -618,6 +644,15 @@ static int __run_perf_stat(int argc, const char **argv)
 	evlist__for_each_entry(evsel_list, counter) {
 try_again:
 		if (create_perf_stat_counter(counter) < 0) {
+
+			/* Weak group failed. Reset the group. */
+			if (errno == EINVAL &&
+			    counter->leader != counter &&
+			    counter->weak_group) {
+				counter = perf_evsel__reset_weak_group(counter);
+				goto try_again;
+			}
+
 			/*
 			 * PPC returns ENXIO for HW counters until 2.6.37
 			 * (behavior changed with commit b0a873e).
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
index dd2c4b5112a5..db658785d828 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ struct perf_evsel {
 	const char *		metric_name;
 	struct perf_evsel	**metric_events;
 	bool			collect_stat;
+	bool			weak_group;
 };
 
 union u64_swap {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index f6257fb4f08c..57d7acf890e0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -1366,6 +1366,7 @@ struct event_modifier {
 	int exclude_GH;
 	int sample_read;
 	int pinned;
+	int weak;
 };
 
 static int get_event_modifier(struct event_modifier *mod, char *str,
@@ -1384,6 +1385,7 @@ static int get_event_modifier(struct event_modifier *mod, char *str,
 
 	int exclude = eu | ek | eh;
 	int exclude_GH = evsel ? evsel->exclude_GH : 0;
+	int weak = 0;
 
 	memset(mod, 0, sizeof(*mod));
 
@@ -1421,6 +1423,8 @@ static int get_event_modifier(struct event_modifier *mod, char *str,
 			sample_read = 1;
 		} else if (*str == 'D') {
 			pinned = 1;
+		} else if (*str == 'W') {
+			weak = 1;
 		} else
 			break;
 
@@ -1451,6 +1455,7 @@ static int get_event_modifier(struct event_modifier *mod, char *str,
 	mod->exclude_GH = exclude_GH;
 	mod->sample_read = sample_read;
 	mod->pinned = pinned;
+	mod->weak = weak;
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1464,7 +1469,7 @@ static int check_modifier(char *str)
 	char *p = str;
 
 	/* The sizeof includes 0 byte as well. */
-	if (strlen(str) > (sizeof("ukhGHpppPSDI") - 1))
+	if (strlen(str) > (sizeof("ukhGHpppPSDIW") - 1))
 		return -1;
 
 	while (*p) {
@@ -1504,6 +1509,7 @@ int parse_events__modifier_event(struct list_head *list, char *str, bool add)
 		evsel->exclude_GH          = mod.exclude_GH;
 		evsel->sample_read         = mod.sample_read;
 		evsel->precise_max         = mod.precise_max;
+		evsel->weak_group	   = mod.weak;
 
 		if (perf_evsel__is_group_leader(evsel))
 			evsel->attr.pinned = mod.pinned;
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
index c42edeac451f..fdb5bb52f01f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ name		[a-zA-Z_*?][a-zA-Z0-9_*?.]*
 name_minus	[a-zA-Z_*?][a-zA-Z0-9\-_*?.:]*
 drv_cfg_term	[a-zA-Z0-9_\.]+(=[a-zA-Z0-9_*?\.:]+)?
 /* If you add a modifier you need to update check_modifier() */
-modifier_event	[ukhpPGHSDI]+
+modifier_event	[ukhpPGHSDIW]+
 modifier_bp	[rwx]{1,3}
 
 %%