diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c b/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
index 21ebe0f47e64..72ce4b8fbb0f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-mem.c
@@ -77,6 +77,11 @@ static int __cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv, struct perf_mem *mem)
 	OPT_END()
 	};
 
+	if (perf_mem_events__init()) {
+		pr_err("failed: memory events not supported\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, record_mem_usage,
 			     PARSE_OPT_KEEP_UNKNOWN);
 
@@ -441,11 +446,6 @@ int cmd_mem(int argc, const char **argv)
 		NULL
 	};
 
-	if (perf_mem_events__init()) {
-		pr_err("failed: memory events not supported\n");
-		return -1;
-	}
-
 	argc = parse_options_subcommand(argc, argv, mem_options, mem_subcommands,
 					mem_usage, PARSE_OPT_KEEP_UNKNOWN);