diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
index a7eb0eae9938..0f577162c699 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evlist.c
@@ -1624,7 +1624,7 @@ size_t perf_evlist__fprintf(struct perf_evlist *evlist, FILE *fp)
 	return printed + fprintf(fp, "\n");
 }
 
-int perf_evlist__strerror_open(struct perf_evlist *evlist __maybe_unused,
+int perf_evlist__strerror_open(struct perf_evlist *evlist,
 			       int err, char *buf, size_t size)
 {
 	int printed, value;
@@ -1652,7 +1652,25 @@ int perf_evlist__strerror_open(struct perf_evlist *evlist __maybe_unused,
 				    "Hint:\tTry: 'sudo sh -c \"echo -1 > /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid\"'\n"
 				    "Hint:\tThe current value is %d.", value);
 		break;
+	case EINVAL: {
+		struct perf_evsel *first = perf_evlist__first(evlist);
+		int max_freq;
+
+		if (sysctl__read_int("kernel/perf_event_max_sample_rate", &max_freq) < 0)
+			goto out_default;
+
+		if (first->attr.sample_freq < (u64)max_freq)
+			goto out_default;
+
+		printed = scnprintf(buf, size,
+				    "Error:\t%s.\n"
+				    "Hint:\tCheck /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_max_sample_rate.\n"
+				    "Hint:\tThe current value is %d and %" PRIu64 " is being requested.",
+				    emsg, max_freq, first->attr.sample_freq);
+		break;
+	}
 	default:
+out_default:
 		scnprintf(buf, size, "%s", emsg);
 		break;
 	}