Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_arm64.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_arm64.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_arm64.c
@@ -175,10 +175,14 @@
 
 	pac = arm64_pcpu[cpu];
 
-	caps = a->pm_caps;
-	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_ARMV8) {
+	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_ARMV8)
 		return (EINVAL);
-	}
+
+	/* check requested capabilities */
+	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & ARMV8_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
+
 	pe = a->pm_ev;
 
 	/* Adjust the config value if needed. */
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_armv7.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_armv7.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_armv7.c
@@ -150,11 +150,15 @@
 
 	pac = armv7_pcpu[cpu];
 
-	caps = a->pm_caps;
 	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_ARMV7)
 		return (EINVAL);
-	pe = a->pm_ev;
 
+	/* check requested capabilities */
+	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & ARMV7_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
+
+	pe = a->pm_ev;
 	config = (pe & EVENT_ID_MASK);
 	pm->pm_md.pm_armv7.pm_armv7_evsel = config;
 
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_beri.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_beri.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_beri.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@
 beri_allocate_pmc(int cpu, int ri, struct pmc *pm,
   const struct pmc_op_pmcallocate *a)
 {
-	uint32_t config;
+	uint32_t config, caps;
 	int i;
 
 	KASSERT(cpu >= 0 && cpu < pmc_cpu_max(),
@@ -199,6 +199,11 @@
 	if (a->pm_class != beri_pmc_spec.ps_cpuclass)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
+	/* check requested capabilities */
+	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & beri_pmc_spec.ps_capabilities) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
+
 	for (i = 0; i < BERI_NCOUNTERS; i++) {
 		if (beri_event_codes[i].pe_ev == a->pm_ev) {
 			config = i;
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_core.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_core.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_core.c
@@ -236,12 +236,14 @@
 	if (ri < 0 || ri > core_iaf_npmc)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
-	caps = a->pm_caps;
-
-	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_IAF ||
-	    (caps & IAF_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_IAF)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
+	/* check requested capabilities */
+	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & IAF_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
+
 	iap = &a->pm_md.pm_iap;
 	config = iap->pm_iap_config;
 	ev = IAP_EVSEL_GET(config);
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_e500.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_e500.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_e500.c
@@ -379,7 +379,10 @@
 	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_E500)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
+	/* check requested capabilities */
 	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & POWERPC_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
 
 	pe = a->pm_ev;
 	config = PMLCax_FCS | PMLCax_FCU |
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_mips.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_mips.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_mips.c
@@ -82,9 +82,13 @@
 	KASSERT(ri >= 0 && ri < mips_npmcs,
 	    ("[mips,%d] illegal row index %d", __LINE__, ri));
 
-	caps = a->pm_caps;
 	if (a->pm_class != mips_pmc_spec.ps_cpuclass)
 		return (EINVAL);
+
+	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & mips_pmc_spec.ps_capabilities) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
+
 	pe = a->pm_ev;
 	counter = MIPS_CTR_ALL;
 	event = 0;
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_power8.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_power8.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_power8.c
@@ -170,6 +170,11 @@
 	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_POWER8)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
+	/* check requested capabilities */
+	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & POWERPC_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
+
 	/*
 	 * PMC5 and PMC6 are not programmable and always count instructions
 	 * completed and cycles, respectively.
@@ -187,8 +192,6 @@
 	if (counter != 0 && counter != ri + 1)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
-	caps = a->pm_caps;
-
 	if (caps & PMC_CAP_SYSTEM)
 		config |= POWERPC_PMC_KERNEL_ENABLE;
 	if (caps & PMC_CAP_USER)
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_powerpc.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_powerpc.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_powerpc.c
@@ -215,7 +215,10 @@
 	if (a->pm_class != ppc_class)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
+	/* check requested capabilities */
 	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & POWERPC_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
 
 	pe = a->pm_ev;
 
Index: sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_uncore.c
===================================================================
--- sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_uncore.c
+++ sys/dev/hwpmc/hwpmc_uncore.c
@@ -199,12 +199,14 @@
 	if (ri < 0 || ri > uncore_ucf_npmc)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
-	caps = a->pm_caps;
-
-	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_UCF ||
-	    (caps & UCF_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+	if (a->pm_class != PMC_CLASS_UCF)
 		return (EINVAL);
 
+	/* check requested capabilities */
+	caps = a->pm_caps;
+	if ((caps & UCF_PMC_CAPS) != caps)
+		return (EPERM);
+
 	flags = UCF_EN;
 
 	pm->pm_md.pm_ucf.pm_ucf_ctrl = (flags << (ri * 4));