diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
index 1a2a605cf068..eb70a4b71755 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -1529,6 +1529,7 @@ static int trace__read_syscall_info(struct trace *trace, int id)
 static int trace__validate_ev_qualifier(struct trace *trace)
 {
 	int err = 0, i;
+	bool printed_invalid_prefix = false;
 	size_t nr_allocated;
 	struct str_node *pos;
 
@@ -1555,14 +1556,15 @@ static int trace__validate_ev_qualifier(struct trace *trace)
 			if (id >= 0)
 				goto matches;
 
-			if (err == 0) {
-				fputs("Error:\tInvalid syscall ", trace->output);
-				err = -EINVAL;
+			if (!printed_invalid_prefix) {
+				pr_debug("Skipping unknown syscalls: ");
+				printed_invalid_prefix = true;
 			} else {
-				fputs(", ", trace->output);
+				pr_debug(", ");
 			}
 
-			fputs(sc, trace->output);
+			pr_debug("%s", sc);
+			continue;
 		}
 matches:
 		trace->ev_qualifier_ids.entries[i++] = id;
@@ -1591,15 +1593,14 @@ static int trace__validate_ev_qualifier(struct trace *trace)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (err < 0) {
-		fputs("\nHint:\ttry 'perf list syscalls:sys_enter_*'"
-		      "\nHint:\tand: 'man syscalls'\n", trace->output);
-out_free:
-		zfree(&trace->ev_qualifier_ids.entries);
-		trace->ev_qualifier_ids.nr = 0;
-	}
 out:
+	if (printed_invalid_prefix)
+		pr_debug("\n");
 	return err;
+out_free:
+	zfree(&trace->ev_qualifier_ids.entries);
+	trace->ev_qualifier_ids.nr = 0;
+	goto out;
 }
 
 /*