diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c
index 9768bf7d898..2f50fb87c38 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_perf.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <nuttx/clock.h>
 
 #include "arm_internal.h"
+#include "arm_timer.h"
 #include "sctlr.h"
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_PERF_EVENTS
@@ -64,6 +65,13 @@ void up_perf_init(void *arg)
 {
   g_cpu_freq = (unsigned long)(uintptr_t)arg;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_ARMV7A_HAVE_PTM
+  if (g_cpu_freq == ULONG_MAX || g_cpu_freq == 0)
+    {
+      g_cpu_freq = arm_timer_get_freq();
+    }
+#endif
+
   cp15_pmu_uer(PMUER_UME);
   cp15_pmu_pmcr(PMCR_E);
   cp15_pmu_cesr(PMCESR_CCES);
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.c b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.c
index 5dce5717444..2efc1054917 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.c
@@ -87,12 +87,6 @@ static const struct oneshot_operations_s g_arm_timer_ops =
  * Private Functions
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-static inline uint32_t arm_timer_get_freq(void)
-{
-  ARM_ISB();
-  return CP15_GET(CNTFRQ);
-}
-
 static inline void arm_timer_set_freq(uint32_t freq)
 {
   CP15_SET(CNTFRQ, freq);
@@ -263,6 +257,12 @@ static int arm_timer_interrupt(int irq, void *context, void *arg)
  * Public Functions
  ****************************************************************************/
 
+uint32_t arm_timer_get_freq(void)
+{
+  ARM_ISB();
+  return CP15_GET(CNTFRQ);
+}
+
 struct oneshot_lowerhalf_s *arm_timer_initialize(unsigned int freq)
 {
   struct arm_timer_lowerhalf_s *lower;
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.h b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.h
index c1b8336bd01..52ee69fac64 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.h
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-a/arm_timer.h
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@ extern "C"
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARMV7A_HAVE_PTM
 struct oneshot_lowerhalf_s *arm_timer_initialize(unsigned int freq);
+uint32_t arm_timer_get_freq(void);
 #else
 #  define arm_timer_initialize(freq) NULL
+#  define arm_timer_get_freq() 0
 #endif
 
 #undef EXTERN
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c
index c3d1310862f..de25750f64e 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_perf.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <nuttx/clock.h>
 
 #include "arm_internal.h"
+#include "arm_timer.h"
 #include "sctlr.h"
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARCH_PERF_EVENTS
@@ -64,6 +65,13 @@ void up_perf_init(void *arg)
 {
   g_cpu_freq = (unsigned long)(uintptr_t)arg;
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_ARMV7R_HAVE_PTM
+  if (g_cpu_freq == ULONG_MAX || g_cpu_freq == 0)
+    {
+      g_cpu_freq = arm_timer_get_freq();
+    }
+#endif
+
   cp15_pmu_uer(PMUER_UME);
   cp15_pmu_pmcr(PMCR_E);
   cp15_pmu_cesr(PMCESR_CCES);
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.c b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.c
index 08f9d24a6c4..af7a5a7496c 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.c
@@ -87,12 +87,6 @@ static const struct oneshot_operations_s g_arm_timer_ops =
  * Private Functions
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-static inline uint32_t arm_timer_get_freq(void)
-{
-  ARM_ISB();
-  return CP15_GET(CNTFRQ);
-}
-
 static inline void arm_timer_set_freq(uint32_t freq)
 {
   CP15_SET(CNTFRQ, freq);
@@ -265,6 +259,12 @@ static int arm_timer_interrupt(int irq, void *context, void *arg)
  * Public Functions
  ****************************************************************************/
 
+uint32_t arm_timer_get_freq(void)
+{
+  ARM_ISB();
+  return CP15_GET(CNTFRQ);
+}
+
 struct oneshot_lowerhalf_s *arm_timer_initialize(unsigned int freq)
 {
   struct arm_timer_lowerhalf_s *lower;
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.h b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.h
index cd9549ecf79..681e5060daa 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.h
+++ b/arch/arm/src/armv7-r/arm_timer.h
@@ -59,8 +59,10 @@ extern "C"
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_ARMV7R_HAVE_PTM
 struct oneshot_lowerhalf_s *arm_timer_initialize(unsigned int freq);
+uint32_t arm_timer_get_freq(void);
 #else
 #  define arm_timer_initialize(freq) NULL
+#  define arm_timer_get_freq() 0
 #endif
 
 #undef EXTERN
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/goldfish/goldfish_boot.c b/arch/arm/src/goldfish/goldfish_boot.c
index c0b6bac29c8..b9bf51f473b 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/goldfish/goldfish_boot.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/goldfish/goldfish_boot.c
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@
 
 void arm_boot(void)
 {
+  /* Perf init */
+
+  up_perf_init(0);
+
   /* Set the page table for section */
 
   goldfish_setupmappings();
diff --git a/arch/arm/src/qemu/qemu_boot.c b/arch/arm/src/qemu/qemu_boot.c
index 479bbc5883d..29eafa84e4f 100644
--- a/arch/arm/src/qemu/qemu_boot.c
+++ b/arch/arm/src/qemu/qemu_boot.c
@@ -47,6 +47,10 @@
 
 void arm_boot(void)
 {
+  /* Perf init */
+
+  up_perf_init(0);
+
   /* Set the page table for section */
 
   qemu_setupmappings();