diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/shell/record_lbr.sh b/tools/perf/tests/shell/record_lbr.sh
index 6fcb5e52b9b4..78a02e90ece1 100755
--- a/tools/perf/tests/shell/record_lbr.sh
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/shell/record_lbr.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 set -e
 
+ParanoidAndNotRoot() {
+  [ "$(id -u)" != 0 ] && [ "$(cat /proc/sys/kernel/perf_event_paranoid)" -gt $1 ]
+}
+
 if [ ! -f /sys/bus/event_source/devices/cpu/caps/branches ] &&
    [ ! -f /sys/bus/event_source/devices/cpu_core/caps/branches ]
 then
@@ -23,6 +27,7 @@ cleanup() {
 }
 
 trap_cleanup() {
+  echo "Unexpected signal in ${FUNCNAME[1]}"
   cleanup
   exit 1
 }
@@ -123,8 +128,11 @@ lbr_test "-j ind_call" "any indirect call" 2
 lbr_test "-j ind_jmp" "any indirect jump" 100
 lbr_test "-j call" "direct calls" 2
 lbr_test "-j ind_call,u" "any indirect user call" 100
-lbr_test "-a -b" "system wide any branch" 2
-lbr_test "-a -j any_call" "system wide any call" 2
+if ! ParanoidAndNotRoot 1
+then
+  lbr_test "-a -b" "system wide any branch" 2
+  lbr_test "-a -j any_call" "system wide any call" 2
+fi
 
 # Parallel
 parallel_lbr_test "-b" "parallel any branch" 100 &
@@ -141,10 +149,16 @@ parallel_lbr_test "-j call" "parallel direct calls" 100 &
 pid6=$!
 parallel_lbr_test "-j ind_call,u" "parallel any indirect user call" 100 &
 pid7=$!
-parallel_lbr_test "-a -b" "parallel system wide any branch" 100 &
-pid8=$!
-parallel_lbr_test "-a -j any_call" "parallel system wide any call" 100 &
-pid9=$!
+if ParanoidAndNotRoot 1
+then
+  pid8=
+  pid9=
+else
+  parallel_lbr_test "-a -b" "parallel system wide any branch" 100 &
+  pid8=$!
+  parallel_lbr_test "-a -j any_call" "parallel system wide any call" 100 &
+  pid9=$!
+fi
 
 for pid in $pid1 $pid2 $pid3 $pid4 $pid5 $pid6 $pid7 $pid8 $pid9
 do