diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
index 5b46b1d..384c630 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-record.txt
@@ -367,6 +367,20 @@ options.
 'perf record --dry-run -e' can act as a BPF script compiler if llvm.dump-obj
 in config file is set to true.
 
+--overwrite::
+Makes all events use an overwritable ring buffer. An overwritable ring
+buffer works like a flight recorder: when it gets full, the kernel will
+overwrite the oldest records, that thus will never make it to the
+perf.data file.
+
+When '--overwrite' and '--switch-output' are used perf records and drops
+events until it receives a signal, meaning that something unusual was
+detected that warrants taking a snapshot of the most current events,
+those fitting in the ring buffer at that moment.
+
+'overwrite' attribute can also be set or canceled for an event using
+config terms. For example: 'cycles/overwrite/' and 'instructions/no-overwrite/'.
+
 SEE ALSO
 --------
 linkperf:perf-stat[1], linkperf:perf-list[1]
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index 2a1b3c0..19f13ba 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -1540,6 +1540,7 @@ struct option __record_options[] = {
 	OPT_BOOLEAN_SET('i', "no-inherit", &record.opts.no_inherit,
 			&record.opts.no_inherit_set,
 			"child tasks do not inherit counters"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "overwrite", &record.opts.overwrite, "use overwrite mode"),
 	OPT_UINTEGER('F', "freq", &record.opts.user_freq, "profile at this frequency"),
 	OPT_CALLBACK('m', "mmap-pages", &record.opts, "pages[,pages]",
 		     "number of mmap data pages and AUX area tracing mmap pages",
diff --git a/tools/perf/perf.h b/tools/perf/perf.h
index cd8f1b1..608b42b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/perf.h
+++ b/tools/perf/perf.h
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ struct record_opts {
 	bool	     record_switch_events;
 	bool	     all_kernel;
 	bool	     all_user;
+	bool	     overwrite;
 	unsigned int freq;
 	unsigned int mmap_pages;
 	unsigned int auxtrace_mmap_pages;
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c b/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
index db7393c..c0618c7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/backward-ring-buffer.c
@@ -132,26 +132,24 @@ int test__backward_ring_buffer(int subtest __maybe_unused)
 	}
 
 	bzero(&parse_error, sizeof(parse_error));
-	err = parse_events(evlist, "syscalls:sys_enter_prctl", &parse_error);
+	/*
+	 * Set backward bit, ring buffer should be writing from end. Record
+	 * it in aux evlist
+	 */
+	err = parse_events(evlist, "syscalls:sys_enter_prctl/overwrite/", &parse_error);
 	if (err) {
 		pr_debug("Failed to parse tracepoint event, try use root\n");
 		ret = TEST_SKIP;
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Set backward bit, ring buffer should be writing from end. Record
-	 * it in aux evlist
-	 */
-	perf_evlist__last(evlist)->attr.write_backward = 1;
-
+	/* Don't set backward bit for exit event. Record it in main evlist */
 	err = parse_events(evlist, "syscalls:sys_exit_prctl", &parse_error);
 	if (err) {
 		pr_debug("Failed to parse tracepoint event, try use root\n");
 		ret = TEST_SKIP;
 		goto out_delete_evlist;
 	}
-	/* Don't set backward bit for exit event. Record it in main evlist */
 
 	perf_evlist__config(evlist, &opts, NULL);
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
index 3abe519..b5ed8cc 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.c
@@ -677,6 +677,9 @@ static void apply_config_terms(struct perf_evsel *evsel,
 			 */
 			attr->inherit = term->val.inherit ? 1 : 0;
 			break;
+		case PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_OVERWRITE:
+			attr->write_backward = term->val.overwrite ? 1 : 0;
+			break;
 		default:
 			break;
 		}
@@ -758,6 +761,7 @@ void perf_evsel__config(struct perf_evsel *evsel, struct record_opts *opts,
 
 	attr->sample_id_all = perf_missing_features.sample_id_all ? 0 : 1;
 	attr->inherit	    = !opts->no_inherit;
+	attr->write_backward = opts->overwrite ? 1 : 0;
 
 	perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, IP);
 	perf_evsel__set_sample_bit(evsel, TID);
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
index a31ee2d..87912b6 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/evsel.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ enum {
 	PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_STACK_USER,
 	PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_INHERIT,
 	PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_MAX_STACK,
+	PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_OVERWRITE,
 	PERF_EVSEL__CONFIG_TERM_MAX,
 };
 
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ struct perf_evsel_config_term {
 		u64	stack_user;
 		int	max_stack;
 		bool	inherit;
+		bool	overwrite;
 	} val;
 };
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
index ebd87b7..4801b8b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.c
@@ -901,6 +901,8 @@ static const char *config_term_names[__PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NR] = {
 	[PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOINHERIT]		= "no-inherit",
 	[PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_INHERIT]		= "inherit",
 	[PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_MAX_STACK]		= "max-stack",
+	[PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_OVERWRITE]		= "overwrite",
+	[PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE]		= "no-overwrite",
 };
 
 static bool config_term_shrinked;
@@ -993,6 +995,12 @@ do {									   \
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOINHERIT:
 		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(NUM);
 		break;
+	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_OVERWRITE:
+		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(NUM);
+		break;
+	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE:
+		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(NUM);
+		break;
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NAME:
 		CHECK_TYPE_VAL(STR);
 		break;
@@ -1045,6 +1053,8 @@ static int config_term_tracepoint(struct perf_event_attr *attr,
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_INHERIT:
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOINHERIT:
 	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_MAX_STACK:
+	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_OVERWRITE:
+	case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE:
 		return config_term_common(attr, term, err);
 	default:
 		if (err) {
@@ -1117,6 +1127,12 @@ do {								\
 		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_MAX_STACK:
 			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(MAX_STACK, max_stack, term->val.num);
 			break;
+		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_OVERWRITE:
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(OVERWRITE, overwrite, term->val.num ? 1 : 0);
+			break;
+		case PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE:
+			ADD_CONFIG_TERM(OVERWRITE, overwrite, term->val.num ? 0 : 1);
+			break;
 		default:
 			break;
 		}
@@ -2330,9 +2346,9 @@ static void config_terms_list(char *buf, size_t buf_sz)
 char *parse_events_formats_error_string(char *additional_terms)
 {
 	char *str;
-	/* "branch_type" is the longest name */
+	/* "no-overwrite" is the longest name */
 	char static_terms[__PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NR *
-			  (sizeof("branch_type") - 1)];
+			  (sizeof("no-overwrite") - 1)];
 
 	config_terms_list(static_terms, sizeof(static_terms));
 	/* valid terms */
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
index 46c05cc..1b04d82 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ enum {
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOINHERIT,
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_INHERIT,
 	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_MAX_STACK,
+	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE,
+	PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_OVERWRITE,
 	__PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NR,
 };
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
index 3c15b33..7a25194 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-events.l
@@ -202,6 +202,8 @@ stack-size		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_STACKSIZE); }
 max-stack		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_MAX_STACK); }
 inherit			{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_INHERIT); }
 no-inherit		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOINHERIT); }
+overwrite		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_OVERWRITE); }
+no-overwrite		{ return term(yyscanner, PARSE_EVENTS__TERM_TYPE_NOOVERWRITE); }
 ,			{ return ','; }
 "/"			{ BEGIN(INITIAL); return '/'; }
 {name_minus}		{ return str(yyscanner, PE_NAME); }
