PERF_EVENT_STATE_INACTIVE;
 }
 
-/*
- * Called at perf_event creation and when events are attached/detached from a
- * group.
- */
-static void perf_event__read_size(struct perf_event *event)
+static void __perf_event_read_size(struct perf_event *event, int nr_siblings)
 {
        int entry = sizeof(u64); /* value */
        int size = 0;
                entry += sizeof(u64);
 
        if (event->attr.read_format & PERF_FORMAT_GROUP) {
-               nr += event->group_leader->nr_siblings;
+               nr += nr_siblings;
                size += sizeof(u64);
        }
 
        event->read_size = size;
 }
 
-static void perf_event__header_size(struct perf_event *event)
+static void __perf_event_header_size(struct perf_event *event, u64 sample_type)
 {
        struct perf_sample_data *data;
-       u64 sample_type = event->attr.sample_type;
        u16 size = 0;
 
-       perf_event__read_size(event);
-
        if (sample_type & PERF_SAMPLE_IP)
                size += sizeof(data->ip);
 
        event->header_size = size;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Called at perf_event creation and when events are attached/detached from a
+ * group.
+ */
+static void perf_event__header_size(struct perf_event *event)
+{
+       __perf_event_read_size(event,
+                              event->group_leader->nr_siblings);
+       __perf_event_header_size(event, event->attr.sample_type);
+}
+
 static void perf_event__id_header_size(struct perf_event *event)
 {
        struct perf_sample_data *data;
        event->id_header_size = size;
 }
 
+static bool perf_event_validate_size(struct perf_event *event)
+{
+       /*
+        * The values computed here will be over-written when we actually
+        * attach the event.
+        */
+       __perf_event_read_size(event, event->group_leader->nr_siblings + 1);
+       __perf_event_header_size(event, event->attr.sample_type & ~PERF_SAMPLE_READ);
+       perf_event__id_header_size(event);
+
+       /*
+        * Sum the lot; should not exceed the 64k limit we have on records.
+        * Conservative limit to allow for callchains and other variable fields.
+        */
+       if (event->read_size + event->header_size +
+           event->id_header_size + sizeof(struct perf_event_header) >= 16*1024)
+               return false;
+
+       return true;
+}
+
 static void perf_group_attach(struct perf_event *event)
 {
        struct perf_event *group_leader = event->group_leader, *pos;
                mutex_lock(&ctx->mutex);
        }
 
+       if (!perf_event_validate_size(event)) {
+               err = -E2BIG;
+               goto err_locked;
+       }
+
        /*
         * Must be under the same ctx::mutex as perf_install_in_context(),
         * because we need to serialize with concurrent event creation.