diff --git a/virt/kvm/arm/pmu.c b/virt/kvm/arm/pmu.c
index c30c3a74fc7f..f291d4ac3519 100644
--- a/virt/kvm/arm/pmu.c
+++ b/virt/kvm/arm/pmu.c
@@ -569,12 +569,12 @@ static void kvm_pmu_create_perf_event(struct kvm_vcpu *vcpu, u64 select_idx)
 		 * high counter.
 		 */
 		attr.sample_period = (-counter) & GENMASK(63, 0);
+		if (kvm_pmu_counter_is_enabled(vcpu, pmc->idx + 1))
+			attr.config1 |= PERF_ATTR_CFG1_KVM_PMU_CHAINED;
+
 		event = perf_event_create_kernel_counter(&attr, -1, current,
 							 kvm_pmu_perf_overflow,
 							 pmc + 1);
-
-		if (kvm_pmu_counter_is_enabled(vcpu, pmc->idx + 1))
-			attr.config1 |= PERF_ATTR_CFG1_KVM_PMU_CHAINED;
 	} else {
 		/* The initial sample period (overflow count) of an event. */
 		if (kvm_pmu_idx_is_64bit(vcpu, pmc->idx))