diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 39c7247..5efc3fc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@
 	if (perf_guest)
 		perf_session__process_machines(session, event__synthesize_guest_os);
 
-	if (!system_wide && cpu_list)
+	if (!system_wide)
 		event__synthesize_thread(target_tid, process_synthesized_event,
 					 session);
 	else