diff --git a/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c b/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c
index 47b78b3f0325..6da965bdbc2c 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/cloexec.c
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ static int perf_flag_probe(void)
 	if (cpu < 0)
 		cpu = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * Using -1 for the pid is a workaround to avoid gratuitous jump label
+	 * changes.
+	 */
 	while (1) {
 		/* check cloexec flag */
 		fd = sys_perf_event_open(&attr, pid, cpu, -1,
@@ -47,16 +51,24 @@ static int perf_flag_probe(void)
 		  err, strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf)));
 
 	/* not supported, confirm error related to PERF_FLAG_FD_CLOEXEC */
-	fd = sys_perf_event_open(&attr, pid, cpu, -1, 0);
+	while (1) {
+		fd = sys_perf_event_open(&attr, pid, cpu, -1, 0);
+		if (fd < 0 && pid == -1 && errno == EACCES) {
+			pid = 0;
+			continue;
+		}
+		break;
+	}
 	err = errno;
 
+	if (fd >= 0)
+		close(fd);
+
 	if (WARN_ONCE(fd < 0 && err != EBUSY,
 		      "perf_event_open(..., 0) failed unexpectedly with error %d (%s)\n",
 		      err, strerror_r(err, sbuf, sizeof(sbuf))))
 		return -1;
 
-	close(fd);
-
 	return 0;
 }