diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 6dd069a41ac3..450b5fadf8cb 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -1671,31 +1671,39 @@ int perf_evsel__open(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct cpu_map *cpus,
 	 */
 	if (!perf_missing_features.write_backward && evsel->attr.write_backward) {
 		perf_missing_features.write_backward = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off write_backward\n");
 		goto out_close;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.clockid_wrong && evsel->attr.use_clockid) {
 		perf_missing_features.clockid_wrong = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off clockid\n");
 		goto fallback_missing_features;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.clockid && evsel->attr.use_clockid) {
 		perf_missing_features.clockid = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off use_clockid\n");
 		goto fallback_missing_features;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.cloexec && (flags & PERF_FLAG_FD_CLOEXEC)) {
 		perf_missing_features.cloexec = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off cloexec flag\n");
 		goto fallback_missing_features;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.mmap2 && evsel->attr.mmap2) {
 		perf_missing_features.mmap2 = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off mmap2\n");
 		goto fallback_missing_features;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.exclude_guest &&
 		   (evsel->attr.exclude_guest || evsel->attr.exclude_host)) {
 		perf_missing_features.exclude_guest = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off exclude_guest, exclude_host\n");
 		goto fallback_missing_features;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.sample_id_all) {
 		perf_missing_features.sample_id_all = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off sample_id_all\n");
 		goto retry_sample_id;
 	} else if (!perf_missing_features.lbr_flags &&
 			(evsel->attr.branch_sample_type &
 			 (PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_CYCLES |
 			  PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_NO_FLAGS))) {
 		perf_missing_features.lbr_flags = true;
+		pr_debug2("switching off branch sample type no (cycles/flags)\n");
 		goto fallback_missing_features;
 	}
 out_close: