diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 2b8265ad7bf5..9ec0b0bfddbd 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -3779,11 +3779,23 @@ static void rotate_ctx(struct perf_event_context *ctx, struct perf_event *event)
 	perf_event_groups_insert(&ctx->flexible_groups, event);
 }
 
+/* pick an event from the flexible_groups to rotate */
 static inline struct perf_event *
-ctx_first_active(struct perf_event_context *ctx)
+ctx_event_to_rotate(struct perf_event_context *ctx)
 {
-	return list_first_entry_or_null(&ctx->flexible_active,
-					struct perf_event, active_list);
+	struct perf_event *event;
+
+	/* pick the first active flexible event */
+	event = list_first_entry_or_null(&ctx->flexible_active,
+					 struct perf_event, active_list);
+
+	/* if no active flexible event, pick the first event */
+	if (!event) {
+		event = rb_entry_safe(rb_first(&ctx->flexible_groups.tree),
+				      typeof(*event), group_node);
+	}
+
+	return event;
 }
 
 static bool perf_rotate_context(struct perf_cpu_context *cpuctx)
@@ -3808,9 +3820,9 @@ static bool perf_rotate_context(struct perf_cpu_context *cpuctx)
 	perf_pmu_disable(cpuctx->ctx.pmu);
 
 	if (task_rotate)
-		task_event = ctx_first_active(task_ctx);
+		task_event = ctx_event_to_rotate(task_ctx);
 	if (cpu_rotate)
-		cpu_event = ctx_first_active(&cpuctx->ctx);
+		cpu_event = ctx_event_to_rotate(&cpuctx->ctx);
 
 	/*
 	 * As per the order given at ctx_resched() first 'pop' task flexible