diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.c b/tools/perf/util/header.c
index d7e67b1..f65d7dc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.c
@@ -152,6 +152,11 @@
 	set_bit(feat, self->adds_features);
 }
 
+void perf_header__clear_feat(struct perf_header *self, int feat)
+{
+	clear_bit(feat, self->adds_features);
+}
+
 bool perf_header__has_feat(const struct perf_header *self, int feat)
 {
 	return test_bit(feat, self->adds_features);
@@ -431,8 +436,10 @@
 	int idx = 0, err;
 
 	session = container_of(self, struct perf_session, header);
-	if (perf_session__read_build_ids(session, true))
-		perf_header__set_feat(self, HEADER_BUILD_ID);
+
+	if (perf_header__has_feat(self, HEADER_BUILD_ID &&
+	    !perf_session__read_build_ids(session, true)))
+		perf_header__clear_feat(self, HEADER_BUILD_ID);
 
 	nr_sections = bitmap_weight(self->adds_features, HEADER_FEAT_BITS);
 	if (!nr_sections)
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/header.h b/tools/perf/util/header.h
index 402ac24..ed550bf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/header.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/header.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@
 struct perf_event_attr *
 perf_header__find_attr(u64 id, struct perf_header *header);
 void perf_header__set_feat(struct perf_header *self, int feat);
+void perf_header__clear_feat(struct perf_header *self, int feat);
 bool perf_header__has_feat(const struct perf_header *self, int feat);
 
 int perf_header__process_sections(struct perf_header *self, int fd,
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h b/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h
index bb4ac2e..8be0b96 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/include/linux/bitops.h
@@ -13,6 +13,11 @@
 	addr[nr / BITS_PER_LONG] |= 1UL << (nr % BITS_PER_LONG);
 }
 
+static inline void clear_bit(int nr, unsigned long *addr)
+{
+	addr[nr / BITS_PER_LONG] &= ~(1UL << (nr % BITS_PER_LONG));
+}
+
 static __always_inline int test_bit(unsigned int nr, const unsigned long *addr)
 {
 	return ((1UL << (nr % BITS_PER_LONG)) &