diff --git a/usr.sbin/pmcstat/pmcstat.c b/usr.sbin/pmcstat/pmcstat.c
index e0308889cc40..842ad662c220 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/pmcstat/pmcstat.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/pmcstat/pmcstat.c
@@ -1350,6 +1350,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 			}
 			/* print out counting PMCs */
 			if ((args.pa_flags & FLAG_DO_TOP) &&
+			    (args.pa_flags & FLAG_HAS_PIPE) &&
 			     pmc_flush_logfile() == 0)
 				do_read = 1;
 			do_print = 1;