diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
index 6ad7148451c5..45d14660d53d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-annotate.c
@@ -452,6 +452,16 @@ static void annotate_sym(struct hist_entry *he)
 	if (!filename)
 		return;
 
+	if (dso->origin == DSO__ORIG_KERNEL) {
+		if (dso->annotate_warned)
+			return;
+		dso->annotate_warned = 1;
+		pr_err("Can't annotate %s: No vmlinux file was found in the "
+		       "path:\n", sym->name);
+		vmlinux_path__fprintf(stderr);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	pr_debug("%s: filename=%s, sym=%s, start=%#Lx, end=%#Lx\n", __func__,
 		 filename, sym->name, map->unmap_ip(map, sym->start),
 		 map->unmap_ip(map, sym->end));
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/newt.c b/tools/perf/util/newt.c
index 2836394459d9..2d19e7a3e6e8 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/newt.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/newt.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ static void hist_entry__annotate_browser(struct hist_entry *self)
 	if (self->sym == NULL)
 		return;
 
-	if (asprintf(&str, "perf annotate %s | expand", self->sym->name) < 0)
+	if (asprintf(&str, "perf annotate %s 2>&1 | expand", self->sym->name) < 0)
 		return;
 
 	fp = popen(str, "r");
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/symbol.h b/tools/perf/util/symbol.h
index d983bbaf99c5..5bd91d142704 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/symbol.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/symbol.h
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ struct dso {
 	u8		 has_build_id:1;
 	u8		 kernel:1;
 	u8		 hit:1;
+	u8		 annotate_warned:1;
 	unsigned char	 origin;
 	u8		 sorted_by_name;
 	u8		 loaded;