diff --git a/tools/vm/page-types.c b/tools/vm/page-types.c
index 0517c744b04e..f62f10c988db 100644
--- a/tools/vm/page-types.c
+++ b/tools/vm/page-types.c
@@ -1331,7 +1331,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (opt_list && opt_list_mapcnt)
 		kpagecount_fd = checked_open(PROC_KPAGECOUNT, O_RDONLY);
 
-	if (opt_mark_idle && opt_file)
+	if (opt_mark_idle)
 		page_idle_fd = checked_open(SYS_KERNEL_MM_PAGE_IDLE, O_RDWR);
 
 	if (opt_list && opt_pid)