diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
index fcece42c2611925c571c6f90f4f25ac33a7d4035..10f86a6d7b15228170b47b506a94701640a0bab3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-stat.c
@@ -1449,6 +1449,11 @@ static int __cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 	if (output_name)
 		file->path = output_name;
 
+	if (run_count != 1 || forever) {
+		pr_err("Cannot use -r option with perf stat record.\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	session = perf_session__new(file, false, NULL);
 	if (session == NULL) {
 		pr_err("Perf session creation failed.\n");