diff --git a/tools/perf/scripts/perl/rwtop.pl b/tools/perf/scripts/perl/rwtop.pl
index ec2ab49a6f25..4bb3ecd33472 100644
--- a/tools/perf/scripts/perl/rwtop.pl
+++ b/tools/perf/scripts/perl/rwtop.pl
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ use Perf::Trace::Util;
 my $default_interval = 3;
 my $nlines = 20;
 my $print_thread;
+my $print_pending = 0;
 
 my %reads;
 my %writes;
@@ -36,6 +37,8 @@ sub syscalls::sys_exit_read
 	$common_pid, $common_comm,
 	$nr, $ret) = @_;
 
+    print_check();
+
     if ($ret > 0) {
 	$reads{$common_pid}{bytes_read} += $ret;
     } else {
@@ -52,6 +55,8 @@ sub syscalls::sys_enter_read
 	$common_pid, $common_comm,
 	$nr, $fd, $buf, $count) = @_;
 
+    print_check();
+
     $reads{$common_pid}{bytes_requested} += $count;
     $reads{$common_pid}{total_reads}++;
     $reads{$common_pid}{comm} = $common_comm;
@@ -63,6 +68,8 @@ sub syscalls::sys_exit_write
 	$common_pid, $common_comm,
 	$nr, $ret) = @_;
 
+    print_check();
+
     if ($ret <= 0) {
 	$writes{$common_pid}{errors}{$ret}++;
     }
@@ -74,6 +81,8 @@ sub syscalls::sys_enter_write
 	$common_pid, $common_comm,
 	$nr, $fd, $buf, $count) = @_;
 
+    print_check();
+
     $writes{$common_pid}{bytes_written} += $count;
     $writes{$common_pid}{total_writes}++;
     $writes{$common_pid}{comm} = $common_comm;
@@ -81,7 +90,7 @@ sub syscalls::sys_enter_write
 
 sub trace_begin
 {
-    $SIG{ALRM} = \&print_totals;
+    $SIG{ALRM} = \&set_print_pending;
     alarm 1;
 }
 
@@ -91,6 +100,20 @@ sub trace_end
     print_totals();
 }
 
+sub print_check()
+{
+    if ($print_pending == 1) {
+	$print_pending = 0;
+	print_totals();
+    }
+}
+
+sub set_print_pending()
+{
+    $print_pending = 1;
+    alarm $interval;
+}
+
 sub print_totals
 {
     my $count;
@@ -106,12 +129,12 @@ sub print_totals
     printf("%6s  %-20s  %10s  %10s  %10s\n", "------", "--------------------",
 	   "----------", "----------", "----------");
 
-    foreach my $pid (sort {$reads{$b}{bytes_read} <=>
-			       $reads{$a}{bytes_read}} keys %reads) {
-	my $comm = $reads{$pid}{comm};
-	my $total_reads = $reads{$pid}{total_reads};
-	my $bytes_requested = $reads{$pid}{bytes_requested};
-	my $bytes_read = $reads{$pid}{bytes_read};
+    foreach my $pid (sort { ($reads{$b}{bytes_read} || 0) <=>
+			       ($reads{$a}{bytes_read} || 0) } keys %reads) {
+	my $comm = $reads{$pid}{comm} || "";
+	my $total_reads = $reads{$pid}{total_reads} || 0;
+	my $bytes_requested = $reads{$pid}{bytes_requested} || 0;
+	my $bytes_read = $reads{$pid}{bytes_read} || 0;
 
 	printf("%6s  %-20s  %10s  %10s  %10s\n", $pid, $comm,
 	       $total_reads, $bytes_requested, $bytes_read);
@@ -130,11 +153,11 @@ sub print_totals
     printf("%6s  %-20s  %10s  %13s\n", "------", "--------------------",
 	   "----------", "-------------");
 
-    foreach my $pid (sort {$writes{$b}{bytes_written} <=>
-			       $writes{$a}{bytes_written}} keys %writes) {
-	my $comm = $writes{$pid}{comm};
-	my $total_writes = $writes{$pid}{total_writes};
-	my $bytes_written = $writes{$pid}{bytes_written};
+    foreach my $pid (sort { ($writes{$b}{bytes_written} || 0) <=>
+			($writes{$a}{bytes_written} || 0)} keys %writes) {
+	my $comm = $writes{$pid}{comm} || "";
+	my $total_writes = $writes{$pid}{total_writes} || 0;
+	my $bytes_written = $writes{$pid}{bytes_written} || 0;
 
 	printf("%6s  %-20s  %10s  %13s\n", $pid, $comm,
 	       $total_writes, $bytes_written);
@@ -146,7 +169,6 @@ sub print_totals
 
     %reads = ();
     %writes = ();
-    alarm $interval;
 }
 
 my %unhandled;