diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index 830d563de889..387311c67264 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -388,6 +388,14 @@ static int report__setup_sample_type(struct report *rep)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (sort__mode == SORT_MODE__MEMORY) {
+		if (!is_pipe && !(sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_DATA_SRC)) {
+			ui__error("Selected --mem-mode but no mem data. "
+				  "Did you call perf record without -d?\n");
+			return -1;
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (symbol_conf.use_callchain || symbol_conf.cumulate_callchain) {
 		if ((sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_REGS_USER) &&
 		    (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_STACK_USER)) {