diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 3162bad0d17d..5d448c36ed22 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -1276,8 +1276,7 @@ static int __cmd_top(struct perf_top *top)
 				    top->evlist->core.threads, true, false,
 				    top->nr_threads_synthesize);
 
-	if (top->nr_threads_synthesize > 1)
-		perf_set_singlethreaded();
+	perf_set_multithreaded();
 
 	if (perf_hpp_list.socket) {
 		ret = perf_env__read_cpu_topology_map(&perf_env);
@@ -1355,6 +1354,7 @@ static int __cmd_top(struct perf_top *top)
 out_join_thread:
 	cond_signal(&top->qe.cond);
 	pthread_join(thread_process, NULL);
+	perf_set_singlethreaded();
 	return ret;
 }