diff --git a/kernel/events/core.c b/kernel/events/core.c
index 0eaf3f0b0974a7..66e6568a4736cf 100644
--- a/kernel/events/core.c
+++ b/kernel/events/core.c
@@ -7641,6 +7641,9 @@ perf_event_alloc(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int cpu,
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* symmetric to unaccount_event() in _free_event() */
+	account_event(event);
+
 	return event;
 
 err_per_task:
@@ -8004,8 +8007,6 @@ SYSCALL_DEFINE5(perf_event_open,
 		}
 	}
 
-	account_event(event);
-
 	/*
 	 * Special case software events and allow them to be part of
 	 * any hardware group.
@@ -8270,8 +8271,6 @@ perf_event_create_kernel_counter(struct perf_event_attr *attr, int cpu,
 	/* Mark owner so we could distinguish it from user events. */
 	event->owner = EVENT_OWNER_KERNEL;
 
-	account_event(event);
-
 	ctx = find_get_context(event->pmu, task, event);
 	if (IS_ERR(ctx)) {
 		err = PTR_ERR(ctx);