diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
index 4efde7879474..035f2e75728c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.c
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <linux/capability.h>
 #include <linux/kernel.h>
 #include <linux/mman.h>
 #include <linux/time64.h>
@@ -15,8 +16,10 @@
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include "annotate.h"
 #include "build-id.h"
+#include "cap.h"
 #include "util.h"
 #include "debug.h"
+#include "event.h"
 #include "machine.h"
 #include "map.h"
 #include "symbol.h"
@@ -2195,13 +2198,19 @@ static bool symbol__read_kptr_restrict(void)
 		char line[8];
 
 		if (fgets(line, sizeof(line), fp) != NULL)
-			value = ((geteuid() != 0) || (getuid() != 0)) ?
-					(atoi(line) != 0) :
-					(atoi(line) == 2);
+			value = perf_cap__capable(CAP_SYSLOG) ?
+					(atoi(line) >= 2) :
+					(atoi(line) != 0);
 
 		fclose(fp);
 	}
 
+	/* Per kernel/kallsyms.c:
+	 * we also restrict when perf_event_paranoid > 1 w/o CAP_SYSLOG
+	 */
+	if (perf_event_paranoid() > 1 && !perf_cap__capable(CAP_SYSLOG))
+		value = true;
+
 	return value;
 }