diff --git a/arch/arm64/kernel/head.S b/arch/arm64/kernel/head.S
index 427f6d3f084c..332e33193ccf 100644
--- a/arch/arm64/kernel/head.S
+++ b/arch/arm64/kernel/head.S
@@ -586,8 +586,9 @@ CPU_LE(	movk	x0, #0x30d0, lsl #16	)	// Clear EE and E0E on LE systems
 	b.lt	4f				// Skip if no PMU present
 	mrs	x0, pmcr_el0			// Disable debug access traps
 	ubfx	x0, x0, #11, #5			// to EL2 and allow access to
-	msr	mdcr_el2, x0			// all PMU counters from EL1
 4:
+	csel	x0, xzr, x0, lt			// all PMU counters from EL1
+	msr	mdcr_el2, x0			// (if they exist)
 
 	/* Stage-2 translation */
 	msr	vttbr_el2, xzr