diff --git a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
index 0484736d9fe440..ca3e0404f18720 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/metricgroup.c
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static struct metric *metric__new(const struct pmu_metric *pm,
 
 	m->pmu = pm->pmu ?: "cpu";
 	m->metric_name = pm->metric_name;
-	m->default_metricgroup_name = pm->default_metricgroup_name;
+	m->default_metricgroup_name = pm->default_metricgroup_name ?: "";
 	m->modifier = NULL;
 	if (modifier) {
 		m->modifier = strdup(modifier);