diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index 373f65b02545..e9a5d432902c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -573,7 +573,7 @@ struct perf_evsel *perf_evlist__id2evsel(struct perf_evlist *evlist, u64 id)
 {
 	struct perf_sample_id *sid;
 
-	if (evlist->nr_entries == 1)
+	if (evlist->nr_entries == 1 || !id)
 		return perf_evlist__first(evlist);
 
 	sid = perf_evlist__id2sid(evlist, id);