diff --git a/tools/perf/util/hist.c b/tools/perf/util/hist.c
index 0441a92b855f..828cb9794c76 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/hist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/hist.c
@@ -621,9 +621,11 @@ __hists__add_entry(struct hists *hists,
 		.raw_data = sample->raw_data,
 		.raw_size = sample->raw_size,
 		.ops = ops,
-	};
+	}, *he = hists__findnew_entry(hists, &entry, al, sample_self);
 
-	return hists__findnew_entry(hists, &entry, al, sample_self);
+	if (!hists->has_callchains && he && he->callchain_size != 0)
+		hists->has_callchains = true;
+	return he;
 }
 
 struct hist_entry *hists__add_entry(struct hists *hists,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/hist.h b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
index 06607c434949..73049f7f0f60 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/hist.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/hist.h
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ struct hists {
 	struct events_stats	stats;
 	u64			event_stream;
 	u16			col_len[HISTC_NR_COLS];
+	bool			has_callchains;
 	int			socket_filter;
 	struct perf_hpp_list	*hpp_list;
 	struct list_head	hpp_formats;
@@ -222,8 +223,7 @@ static inline struct hists *evsel__hists(struct perf_evsel *evsel)
 
 static __pure inline bool hists__has_callchains(struct hists *hists)
 {
-	const struct perf_evsel *evsel = hists_to_evsel(hists);
-	return evsel__has_callchain(evsel);
+	return hists->has_callchains;
 }
 
 int hists__init(void);