char *deferred_skip_names[MAX_DEFERRED];
 int deferred_add_index;
 int deferred_skip_index;
+unsigned int deferred_add_consumed;
+unsigned int deferred_skip_consumed;
 
 /*
  * HIDE_LIST - hide this list of counters, show the rest [default]
        int i;
 
        for (i = 0; i < deferred_add_index; ++i)
-               if (!strcmp(name, deferred_add_names[i]))
+               if (!strcmp(name, deferred_add_names[i])) {
+                       deferred_add_consumed |= (1 << i);
                        return 1;
+               }
        return 0;
 }
 
        int i;
 
        for (i = 0; i < deferred_skip_index; ++i)
-               if (!strcmp(name, deferred_skip_names[i]))
+               if (!strcmp(name, deferred_skip_names[i])) {
+                       deferred_skip_consumed |= (1 << i);
                        return 1;
+               }
        return 0;
 }
 
+void verify_deferred_consumed(void)
+{
+       int i;
+       int fail = 0;
+
+       for (i = 0; i < deferred_add_index; ++i) {
+               if (!(deferred_add_consumed & (1 << i))) {
+                       warnx("Counter '%s' can not be added.", deferred_add_names[i]);
+                       fail++;
+               }
+       }
+       for (i = 0; i < deferred_skip_index; ++i) {
+               if (!(deferred_skip_consumed & (1 << i))) {
+                       warnx("Counter '%s' can not be skipped.", deferred_skip_names[i]);
+                       fail++;
+               }
+       }
+       if (fail)
+               exit(-EINVAL);
+}
+
 void probe_cpuidle_residency(void)
 {
        char path[64];
        probe_cpuidle_residency();
        probe_cpuidle_counts();
 
+       verify_deferred_consumed();
+
        if (!getuid())
                set_rlimit();