diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index a7aa771a98e6..56bbca5bc2dc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -1770,8 +1770,10 @@ static int trace__process_sample(struct perf_tool *tool,
 	if (!trace->full_time && trace->base_time == 0)
 		trace->base_time = sample->time;
 
-	if (handler)
+	if (handler) {
+		++trace->nr_events;
 		handler(trace, evsel, sample);
+	}
 
 	return err;
 }