diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
index b3012c4..974f6d3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-script.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 /* default set to maintain compatibility with current format */
 static struct {
 	bool user_set;
+	bool wildcard_set;
 	u64 fields;
 	u64 invalid_fields;
 } output[PERF_TYPE_MAX] = {
@@ -104,41 +105,113 @@
 	return false;
 }
 
+static const char *output_field2str(enum perf_output_field field)
+{
+	int i, imax = ARRAY_SIZE(all_output_options);
+	const char *str = "";
+
+	for (i = 0; i < imax; ++i) {
+		if (all_output_options[i].field == field) {
+			str = all_output_options[i].str;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	return str;
+}
+
 #define PRINT_FIELD(x)  (output[attr->type].fields & PERF_OUTPUT_##x)
 
-static int perf_session__check_attr(struct perf_session *session,
-				    struct perf_event_attr *attr)
+static int perf_event_attr__check_stype(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
+				  u64 sample_type, const char *sample_msg,
+				  enum perf_output_field field)
 {
+	int type = attr->type;
+	const char *evname;
+
+	if (attr->sample_type & sample_type)
+		return 0;
+
+	if (output[type].user_set) {
+		evname = __event_name(attr->type, attr->config);
+		pr_err("Samples for '%s' event do not have %s attribute set. "
+		       "Cannot print '%s' field.\n",
+		       evname, sample_msg, output_field2str(field));
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	/* user did not ask for it explicitly so remove from the default list */
+	output[type].fields &= ~field;
+	evname = __event_name(attr->type, attr->config);
+	pr_debug("Samples for '%s' event do not have %s attribute set. "
+		 "Skipping '%s' field.\n",
+		 evname, sample_msg, output_field2str(field));
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static int perf_evsel__check_attr(struct perf_evsel *evsel,
+				  struct perf_session *session)
+{
+	struct perf_event_attr *attr = &evsel->attr;
+
 	if (PRINT_FIELD(TRACE) &&
 		!perf_session__has_traces(session, "record -R"))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	if (PRINT_FIELD(SYM)) {
-		if (!(session->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_IP)) {
-			pr_err("Samples do not contain IP data.\n");
+		if (perf_event_attr__check_stype(attr, PERF_SAMPLE_IP, "IP",
+					   PERF_OUTPUT_SYM))
 			return -EINVAL;
-		}
+
 		if (!no_callchain &&
-		    !(session->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CALLCHAIN))
+		    !(attr->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CALLCHAIN))
 			symbol_conf.use_callchain = false;
 	}
 
 	if ((PRINT_FIELD(PID) || PRINT_FIELD(TID)) &&
-		!(session->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TID)) {
-		pr_err("Samples do not contain TID/PID data.\n");
+		perf_event_attr__check_stype(attr, PERF_SAMPLE_TID, "TID",
+				       PERF_OUTPUT_TID|PERF_OUTPUT_PID))
 		return -EINVAL;
-	}
 
 	if (PRINT_FIELD(TIME) &&
-		!(session->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_TIME)) {
-		pr_err("Samples do not contain timestamps.\n");
+		perf_event_attr__check_stype(attr, PERF_SAMPLE_TIME, "TIME",
+				       PERF_OUTPUT_TIME))
 		return -EINVAL;
-	}
 
 	if (PRINT_FIELD(CPU) &&
-		!(session->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CPU)) {
-		pr_err("Samples do not contain cpu.\n");
+		perf_event_attr__check_stype(attr, PERF_SAMPLE_CPU, "CPU",
+				       PERF_OUTPUT_CPU))
 		return -EINVAL;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * verify all user requested events exist and the samples
+ * have the expected data
+ */
+static int perf_session__check_output_opt(struct perf_session *session)
+{
+	int j;
+	struct perf_evsel *evsel;
+
+	for (j = 0; j < PERF_TYPE_MAX; ++j) {
+		evsel = perf_session__find_first_evtype(session, j);
+
+		/*
+		 * even if fields is set to 0 (ie., show nothing) event must
+		 * exist if user explicitly includes it on the command line
+		 */
+		if (!evsel && output[j].user_set && !output[j].wildcard_set) {
+			pr_err("%s events do not exist. "
+			       "Remove corresponding -f option to proceed.\n",
+			       event_type(j));
+			return -1;
+		}
+
+		if (evsel && output[j].fields &&
+			perf_evsel__check_attr(evsel, session))
+			return -1;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
@@ -210,9 +283,6 @@
 	if (output[attr->type].fields == 0)
 		return;
 
-	if (perf_session__check_attr(session, attr) < 0)
-		return;
-
 	print_sample_start(sample, thread, attr);
 
 	if (PRINT_FIELD(TRACE))
@@ -525,6 +595,7 @@
 
 		output[type].fields = 0;
 		output[type].user_set = true;
+		output[type].wildcard_set = false;
 
 	} else {
 		tok = str;
@@ -541,6 +612,7 @@
 		for (j = 0; j < PERF_TYPE_MAX; ++j) {
 			output[j].fields = 0;
 			output[j].user_set = true;
+			output[j].wildcard_set = true;
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1145,6 +1217,11 @@
 		pr_debug("perf script started with script %s\n\n", script_name);
 	}
 
+
+	err = perf_session__check_output_opt(session);
+	if (err < 0)
+		goto out;
+
 	err = __cmd_script(session);
 
 	perf_session__delete(session);