diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c b/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
index ed777728dfe7..93a7139ff5f7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/sw-clock.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static int __test__sw_clock_freq(enum perf_sw_ids clock_id)
 		.freq = 1,
 	};
 
-	attr.sample_freq = 10000;
+	attr.sample_freq = 500;
 
 	evlist = perf_evlist__new();
 	if (evlist == NULL) {
@@ -58,8 +58,11 @@ static int __test__sw_clock_freq(enum perf_sw_ids clock_id)
 	}
 
 	if (perf_evlist__open(evlist)) {
+		const char *knob = "/proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_max_sample_rate";
+
 		err = -errno;
-		pr_debug("Couldn't open evlist: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+		pr_debug("Couldn't open evlist: %s\nHint: check %s, using %" PRIu64 " in this test.\n",
+			 strerror(errno), knob, (u64)attr.sample_freq);
 		goto out_delete_maps;
 	}