diff --git a/tools/power/x86/turbostat/turbostat.c b/tools/power/x86/turbostat/turbostat.c
index cec3f2fbba45..0c55698d6843 100644
--- a/tools/power/x86/turbostat/turbostat.c
+++ b/tools/power/x86/turbostat/turbostat.c
@@ -9477,8 +9477,10 @@ void perf_l2_init(void)
 				free_fd_l2_percpu();
 				return;
 			}
-		} else
-			err(-1, "%s: cpu%d: type %d", __func__, cpu, cpus[cpu].type);
+		} else {
+			warn("%s: cpu%d: type %d: Update kernel perf support or use \"--hide L2MRPS,L2%%hit\" or \"--hide cache\" or \"--no-perf\"", __func__, cpu, cpus[cpu].type);
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 	BIC_PRESENT(BIC_L2_MRPS);
 	BIC_PRESENT(BIC_L2_HIT);