perf_header__write(&session->header, output, true);
 }
 
-static int __cmd_record(int argc __used, const char **argv)
+static int __cmd_record(int argc, const char **argv)
 {
        int i, counter;
        struct stat st;
        int err;
        unsigned long waking = 0;
        int child_ready_pipe[2], go_pipe[2];
+       const bool forks = target_pid == -1 && argc > 0;
        char buf;
 
        page_size = sysconf(_SC_PAGE_SIZE);
        signal(SIGCHLD, sig_handler);
        signal(SIGINT, sig_handler);
 
-       if (pipe(child_ready_pipe) < 0 || pipe(go_pipe) < 0) {
+       if (forks && (pipe(child_ready_pipe) < 0 || pipe(go_pipe) < 0)) {
                perror("failed to create pipes");
                exit(-1);
        }
 
        atexit(atexit_header);
 
-       if (target_pid == -1) {
+       if (forks) {
                pid = fork();
                if (pid < 0) {
                        perror("failed to fork");
                        return err;
        }
 
-       if (!system_wide)
+       if (!system_wide && profile_cpu == -1)
                event__synthesize_thread(pid, process_synthesized_event,
                                         session);
        else
        /*
         * Let the child rip
         */
-       close(go_pipe[1]);
+       if (forks)
+               close(go_pipe[1]);
 
        for (;;) {
                int hits = samples;
 
        argc = parse_options(argc, argv, options, record_usage,
                            PARSE_OPT_STOP_AT_NON_OPTION);
-       if (!argc && target_pid == -1 && (!system_wide || profile_cpu == -1))
+       if (!argc && target_pid == -1 && !system_wide && profile_cpu == -1)
                usage_with_options(record_usage, options);
 
        symbol__init();