diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c
index cbd582182932..b1ce0c52d88d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evlist.c
@@ -75,11 +75,12 @@ int arch_evlist__add_default_attrs(struct evlist *evlist,
 
 int arch_evlist__cmp(const struct evsel *lhs, const struct evsel *rhs)
 {
-	if (topdown_sys_has_perf_metrics() && evsel__sys_has_perf_metrics(lhs)) {
+	if (topdown_sys_has_perf_metrics() &&
+	    (arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(lhs) || arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(rhs))) {
 		/* Ensure the topdown slots comes first. */
-		if (strcasestr(lhs->name, "slots"))
+		if (strcasestr(lhs->name, "slots") && !strcasestr(lhs->name, "uops_retired.slots"))
 			return -1;
-		if (strcasestr(rhs->name, "slots"))
+		if (strcasestr(rhs->name, "slots") && !strcasestr(rhs->name, "uops_retired.slots"))
 			return 1;
 		/* Followed by topdown events. */
 		if (strcasestr(lhs->name, "topdown") && !strcasestr(rhs->name, "topdown"))
diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evsel.c
index 81d22657922a..090d0f371891 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/evsel.c
@@ -40,12 +40,11 @@ bool evsel__sys_has_perf_metrics(const struct evsel *evsel)
 
 bool arch_evsel__must_be_in_group(const struct evsel *evsel)
 {
-	if (!evsel__sys_has_perf_metrics(evsel))
+	if (!evsel__sys_has_perf_metrics(evsel) || !evsel->name ||
+	    strcasestr(evsel->name, "uops_retired.slots"))
 		return false;
 
-	return evsel->name &&
-		(strcasestr(evsel->name, "slots") ||
-		 strcasestr(evsel->name, "topdown"));
+	return strcasestr(evsel->name, "topdown") || strcasestr(evsel->name, "slots");
 }
 
 int arch_evsel__hw_name(struct evsel *evsel, char *bf, size_t size)