diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 3337b5f93336..84803abeb942 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -2714,6 +2714,12 @@ int cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 		rec->no_buildid = true;
 	}
 
+	if (rec->opts.record_cgroup && !perf_can_record_cgroup()) {
+		pr_err("Kernel has no cgroup sampling support.\n");
+		err = -EINVAL;
+		goto out_opts;
+	}
+
 	if (rec->opts.kcore)
 		rec->data.is_dir = true;
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c b/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c
index 829af17a0867..020411682a3c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.c
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ static void perf_probe_build_id(struct evsel *evsel)
 	evsel->core.attr.build_id = 1;
 }
 
+static void perf_probe_cgroup(struct evsel *evsel)
+{
+	evsel->core.attr.cgroup = 1;
+}
+
 bool perf_can_sample_identifier(void)
 {
 	return perf_probe_api(perf_probe_sample_identifier);
@@ -182,3 +187,8 @@ bool perf_can_record_build_id(void)
 {
 	return perf_probe_api(perf_probe_build_id);
 }
+
+bool perf_can_record_cgroup(void)
+{
+	return perf_probe_api(perf_probe_cgroup);
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.h b/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.h
index f12ca55f509a..b104168efb15 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/perf_api_probe.h
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@ bool perf_can_record_switch_events(void);
 bool perf_can_record_text_poke_events(void);
 bool perf_can_sample_identifier(void);
 bool perf_can_record_build_id(void);
+bool perf_can_record_cgroup(void);
 
 #endif // __PERF_API_PROBE_H