diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
index 40b0ffc3ad3b..69b1c1185159 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-report.c
@@ -245,11 +245,12 @@ static int process_read_event(struct perf_tool *tool,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/* For pipe mode, sample_type is not currently set */
 static int perf_report__setup_sample_type(struct perf_report *rep)
 {
 	struct perf_session *self = rep->session;
 
-	if (!(self->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CALLCHAIN)) {
+	if (!self->fd_pipe && !(self->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_CALLCHAIN)) {
 		if (sort__has_parent) {
 			ui__error("Selected --sort parent, but no "
 				    "callchain data. Did you call "
@@ -272,7 +273,8 @@ static int perf_report__setup_sample_type(struct perf_report *rep)
 	}
 
 	if (sort__branch_mode == 1) {
-		if (!(self->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_STACK)) {
+		if (!self->fd_pipe &&
+		    !(self->sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_STACK)) {
 			ui__error("Selected -b but no branch data. "
 				  "Did you call perf record without -b?\n");
 			return -1;