diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
index 1c1ec444d501..381274c70a9a 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-top.c
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ static void perf_event__process_sample(struct perf_tool *tool,
 		 * invalid --vmlinux ;-)
 		 */
 		if (!machine->kptr_restrict_warned && !top->vmlinux_warned &&
-		    __map__is_kernel(al.map) && map__has_symbols(al.map)) {
+		    __map__is_kernel(al.map) && !map__has_symbols(al.map)) {
 			if (symbol_conf.vmlinux_name) {
 				char serr[256];