diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 3d2cb4899807..024e1441d76b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ static bool			inherit_stat			=  false;
 static bool			no_samples			=  false;
 static bool			sample_address			=  false;
 static bool			no_buildid			=  false;
+static bool			no_buildid_cache		=  false;
 
 static long			samples				=      0;
 static u64			bytes_written			=      0;
@@ -437,7 +438,8 @@ static void atexit_header(void)
 	if (!pipe_output) {
 		session->header.data_size += bytes_written;
 
-		process_buildids();
+		if (!no_buildid)
+			process_buildids();
 		perf_header__write(&session->header, output, true);
 		perf_session__delete(session);
 		symbol__exit();
@@ -557,6 +559,9 @@ static int __cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	if (!no_buildid)
+		perf_header__set_feat(&session->header, HEADER_BUILD_ID);
+
 	if (!file_new) {
 		err = perf_header__read(session, output);
 		if (err < 0)
@@ -831,8 +836,10 @@ const struct option record_options[] = {
 		    "Sample addresses"),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN('n', "no-samples", &no_samples,
 		    "don't sample"),
-	OPT_BOOLEAN('N', "no-buildid-cache", &no_buildid,
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('N', "no-buildid-cache", &no_buildid_cache,
 		    "do not update the buildid cache"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN('B', "no-buildid", &no_buildid,
+		    "do not collect buildids in perf.data"),
 	OPT_END()
 };
 
@@ -857,7 +864,8 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __used)
 	}
 
 	symbol__init();
-	if (no_buildid)
+
+	if (no_buildid_cache || no_buildid)
 		disable_buildid_cache();
 
 	if (!nr_counters) {
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index d7e67b167ea3..f65d7dc127b6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -152,6 +152,11 @@ void perf_header__set_feat(struct perf_header *self, int feat)
 	set_bit(feat, self->adds_features);
 }
 
+void perf_header__clear_feat(struct perf_header *self, int feat)
+{
+	clear_bit(feat, self->adds_features);
+}
+
 bool perf_header__has_feat(const struct perf_header *self, int feat)
 {
 	return test_bit(feat, self->adds_features);
@@ -431,8 +436,10 @@ static int perf_header__adds_write(struct perf_header *self, int fd)
 	int idx = 0, err;
 
 	session = container_of(self, struct perf_session, header);
-	if (perf_session__read_build_ids(session, true))
-		perf_header__set_feat(self, HEADER_BUILD_ID);
+
+	if (perf_header__has_feat(self, HEADER_BUILD_ID &&
+	    !perf_session__read_build_ids(session, true)))
+		perf_header__clear_feat(self, HEADER_BUILD_ID);
 
 	nr_sections = bitmap_weight(self->adds_features, HEADER_FEAT_BITS);
 	if (!nr_sections)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.h b/tools/perf/util/header.h
index 402ac2454cf8..ed550bffd655 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ u64 perf_header__sample_type(struct perf_header *header);
 struct perf_event_attr *
 perf_header__find_attr(u64 id, struct perf_header *header);
 void perf_header__set_feat(struct perf_header *self, int feat);
+void perf_header__clear_feat(struct perf_header *self, int feat);
 bool perf_header__has_feat(const struct perf_header *self, int feat);
 
 int perf_header__process_sections(struct perf_header *self, int fd,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h b/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h
index bb4ac2e05385..8be0b968ca0b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@ static inline void set_bit(int nr, unsigned long *addr)
 	addr[nr / BITS_PER_LONG] |= 1UL << (nr % BITS_PER_LONG);
 }
 
+static inline void clear_bit(int nr, unsigned long *addr)
+{
+	addr[nr / BITS_PER_LONG] &= ~(1UL << (nr % BITS_PER_LONG));
+}
+
 static __always_inline int test_bit(unsigned int nr, const unsigned long *addr)
 {
 	return ((1UL << (nr % BITS_PER_LONG)) &