diff --git a/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-trace.txt b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-trace.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3a2ae37310a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/perf/Documentation/perf-trace.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+perf-trace(1)
+=============
+
+NAME
+----
+perf-trace - strace inspired tool
+
+SYNOPSIS
+--------
+[verse]
+'perf trace'
+
+DESCRIPTION
+-----------
+This command will show the events associated with the target, initially
+syscalls, but other system events like pagefaults, task lifetime events,
+scheduling events, etc.
+
+Initially this is a live mode only tool, but eventually will work with
+perf.data files like the other tools, allowing a detached 'record' from
+analysis phases.
+
+OPTIONS
+-------
+
+--all-cpus::
+        System-wide collection from all CPUs.
+
+-p::
+--pid=::
+	Record events on existing process ID (comma separated list).
+
+--tid=::
+        Record events on existing thread ID (comma separated list).
+
+--uid=::
+        Record events in threads owned by uid. Name or number.
+
+--no-inherit::
+	Child tasks do not inherit counters.
+
+--mmap-pages=::
+	Number of mmap data pages. Must be a power of two.
+
+--cpu::
+Collect samples only on the list of CPUs provided. Multiple CPUs can be provided as a
+comma-separated list with no space: 0,1. Ranges of CPUs are specified with -: 0-2.
+In per-thread mode with inheritance mode on (default), Events are captured only when
+the thread executes on the designated CPUs. Default is to monitor all CPUs.
+
+SEE ALSO
+--------
+linkperf:perf-record[1], linkperf:perf-script[1]
diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile b/tools/perf/Makefile
index 251dcd7fb5ac..6958ba4f5dcb 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ ifdef PARSER_DEBUG
 endif
 
 CFLAGS = -fno-omit-frame-pointer -ggdb3 -funwind-tables -Wall -Wextra -std=gnu99 $(CFLAGS_WERROR) $(CFLAGS_OPTIMIZE) $(EXTRA_WARNINGS) $(EXTRA_CFLAGS) $(PARSER_DEBUG_CFLAGS)
-EXTLIBS = -lpthread -lrt -lelf -lm
+EXTLIBS = -lpthread -lrt -lelf -lm -laudit
 ALL_CFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -D_GNU_SOURCE
 ALL_LDFLAGS = $(LDFLAGS)
 STRIP ?= strip
@@ -442,6 +442,7 @@ BUILTIN_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)builtin-kmem.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)builtin-lock.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)builtin-kvm.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)builtin-test.o
+BUILTIN_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)builtin-trace.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)builtin-inject.o
 
 PERFLIBS = $(LIB_FILE) $(LIBTRACEEVENT)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5fa1820cc969
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-trace.c
@@ -0,0 +1,300 @@
+#include "builtin.h"
+#include "util/evlist.h"
+#include "util/parse-options.h"
+#include "util/thread_map.h"
+#include "event-parse.h"
+
+#include <libaudit.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+static struct syscall_fmt {
+	const char *name;
+	bool	   errmsg;
+	bool	   timeout;
+} syscall_fmts[] = {
+	{ .name	    = "futex",	  .errmsg = true, },
+	{ .name	    = "poll",	  .errmsg = true, .timeout = true, },
+	{ .name	    = "ppoll",	  .errmsg = true, .timeout = true, },
+	{ .name	    = "read",	  .errmsg = true, },
+	{ .name	    = "recvfrom", .errmsg = true, },
+	{ .name	    = "select",	  .errmsg = true, .timeout = true, },
+};
+
+static int syscall_fmt__cmp(const void *name, const void *fmtp)
+{
+	const struct syscall_fmt *fmt = fmtp;
+	return strcmp(name, fmt->name);
+}
+
+static struct syscall_fmt *syscall_fmt__find(const char *name)
+{
+	const int nmemb = ARRAY_SIZE(syscall_fmts);
+	return bsearch(name, syscall_fmts, nmemb, sizeof(struct syscall_fmt), syscall_fmt__cmp);
+}
+
+struct syscall {
+	struct event_format *tp_format;
+	const char	    *name;
+	struct syscall_fmt  *fmt;
+};
+
+struct trace {
+	int			audit_machine;
+	struct {
+		int		max;
+		struct syscall  *table;
+	} syscalls;
+	struct perf_record_opts opts;
+};
+
+static int trace__read_syscall_info(struct trace *trace, int id)
+{
+	char tp_name[128];
+	struct syscall *sc;
+
+	if (id > trace->syscalls.max) {
+		struct syscall *nsyscalls = realloc(trace->syscalls.table, (id + 1) * sizeof(*sc));
+
+		if (nsyscalls == NULL)
+			return -1;
+
+		if (trace->syscalls.max != -1) {
+			memset(nsyscalls + trace->syscalls.max + 1, 0,
+			       (id - trace->syscalls.max) * sizeof(*sc));
+		} else {
+			memset(nsyscalls, 0, (id + 1) * sizeof(*sc));
+		}
+
+		trace->syscalls.table = nsyscalls;
+		trace->syscalls.max   = id;
+	}
+
+	sc = trace->syscalls.table + id;
+	sc->name = audit_syscall_to_name(id, trace->audit_machine);
+	if (sc->name == NULL)
+		return -1;
+
+	snprintf(tp_name, sizeof(tp_name), "sys_enter_%s", sc->name);
+
+	sc->tp_format = event_format__new("syscalls", tp_name);
+	sc->fmt = syscall_fmt__find(sc->name);
+
+	return sc->tp_format != NULL ? 0 : -1;
+}
+
+static size_t syscall__fprintf_args(struct syscall *sc, unsigned long *args, FILE *fp)
+{
+	int i = 0;
+	size_t printed = 0;
+
+	if (sc->tp_format != NULL) {
+		struct format_field *field;
+
+		for (field = sc->tp_format->format.fields->next; field; field = field->next) {
+			printed += fprintf(fp, "%s%s: %ld", printed ? ", " : "",
+					   field->name, args[i++]);
+		}
+	} else {
+		while (i < 6) {
+			printed += fprintf(fp, "%sarg%d: %ld", printed ? ", " : "", i, args[i]);
+			++i;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return printed;
+}
+
+static int trace__run(struct trace *trace)
+{
+	struct perf_evlist *evlist = perf_evlist__new(NULL, NULL);
+	struct perf_evsel *evsel, *evsel_enter, *evsel_exit;
+	int err = -1, i, nr_events = 0, before;
+
+	if (evlist == NULL) {
+		printf("Not enough memory to run!\n");
+		goto out;
+	}
+
+	evsel_enter = perf_evsel__newtp("raw_syscalls", "sys_enter", 0);
+	if (evsel_enter == NULL) {
+		printf("Couldn't read the raw_syscalls:sys_enter tracepoint information!\n");
+		goto out_delete_evlist;
+	}
+
+	perf_evlist__add(evlist, evsel_enter);
+
+	evsel_exit = perf_evsel__newtp("raw_syscalls", "sys_exit", 1);
+	if (evsel_exit == NULL) {
+		printf("Couldn't read the raw_syscalls:sys_exit tracepoint information!\n");
+		goto out_delete_evlist;
+	}
+
+	perf_evlist__add(evlist, evsel_exit);
+
+	err = perf_evlist__create_maps(evlist, &trace->opts.target);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		printf("Problems parsing the target to trace, check your options!\n");
+		goto out_delete_evlist;
+	}
+
+	perf_evlist__config_attrs(evlist, &trace->opts);
+
+	err = perf_evlist__open(evlist);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		printf("Couldn't create the events: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+		goto out_delete_evlist;
+	}
+
+	err = perf_evlist__mmap(evlist, UINT_MAX, false);
+	if (err < 0) {
+		printf("Couldn't mmap the events: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+		goto out_delete_evlist;
+	}
+
+	perf_evlist__enable(evlist);
+again:
+	before = nr_events;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < evlist->nr_mmaps; i++) {
+		union perf_event *event;
+
+		while ((event = perf_evlist__mmap_read(evlist, i)) != NULL) {
+			const u32 type = event->header.type;
+			struct syscall *sc;
+			struct perf_sample sample;
+			int id;
+
+			++nr_events;
+
+			switch (type) {
+			case PERF_RECORD_SAMPLE:
+				break;
+			case PERF_RECORD_LOST:
+				printf("LOST %" PRIu64 " events!\n", event->lost.lost);
+				continue;
+			default:
+				printf("Unexpected %s event, skipping...\n",
+					perf_event__name(type));
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			err = perf_evlist__parse_sample(evlist, event, &sample);
+			if (err) {
+				printf("Can't parse sample, err = %d, skipping...\n", err);
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			evsel = perf_evlist__id2evsel(evlist, sample.id);
+			if (evsel == NULL) {
+				printf("Unknown tp ID %" PRIu64 ", skipping...\n", sample.id);
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			id = perf_evsel__intval(evsel, &sample, "id");
+			if (id < 0) {
+				printf("Invalid syscall %d id, skipping...\n", id);
+				continue;
+			}
+
+			if ((id > trace->syscalls.max || trace->syscalls.table[id].name == NULL) &&
+			    trace__read_syscall_info(trace, id))
+				continue;
+
+			if ((id > trace->syscalls.max || trace->syscalls.table[id].name == NULL))
+				continue;
+
+			sc = &trace->syscalls.table[id];
+
+			if (evlist->threads->map[0] == -1 || evlist->threads->nr > 1)
+				printf("%d ", sample.tid);
+
+			if (evsel == evsel_enter) {
+				void *args = perf_evsel__rawptr(evsel, &sample, "args");
+
+				printf("%s(", sc->name);
+				syscall__fprintf_args(sc, args, stdout);
+			} else if (evsel == evsel_exit) {
+				int ret = perf_evsel__intval(evsel, &sample, "ret");
+
+				if (ret < 0 && sc->fmt && sc->fmt->errmsg) {
+					char bf[256];
+					const char *emsg = strerror_r(-ret, bf, sizeof(bf)),
+						   *e = audit_errno_to_name(-ret);
+
+					printf(") = -1 %s %s", e, emsg);
+				} else if (ret == 0 && sc->fmt && sc->fmt->timeout)
+					printf(") = 0 Timeout");
+				else
+					printf(") = %d", ret);
+
+				putchar('\n');
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (nr_events == before)
+		poll(evlist->pollfd, evlist->nr_fds, -1);
+
+	goto again;
+
+out_delete_evlist:
+	perf_evlist__delete(evlist);
+out:
+	return err;
+}
+
+int cmd_trace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix __maybe_unused)
+{
+	const char * const trace_usage[] = {
+		"perf trace [<options>]",
+		NULL
+	};
+	struct trace trace = {
+		.audit_machine = audit_detect_machine(),
+		.syscalls = {
+			. max = -1,
+		},
+		.opts = {
+			.target = {
+				.uid	   = UINT_MAX,
+				.uses_mmap = true,
+			},
+			.user_freq     = UINT_MAX,
+			.user_interval = ULLONG_MAX,
+			.no_delay      = true,
+			.mmap_pages    = 1024,
+		},
+	};
+	const struct option trace_options[] = {
+	OPT_STRING('p', "pid", &trace.opts.target.pid, "pid",
+		    "trace events on existing process id"),
+	OPT_STRING(0, "tid", &trace.opts.target.tid, "tid",
+		    "trace events on existing thread id"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "all-cpus", &trace.opts.target.system_wide,
+		    "system-wide collection from all CPUs"),
+	OPT_STRING(0, "cpu", &trace.opts.target.cpu_list, "cpu",
+		    "list of cpus to monitor"),
+	OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "no-inherit", &trace.opts.no_inherit,
+		    "child tasks do not inherit counters"),
+	OPT_UINTEGER(0, "mmap-pages", &trace.opts.mmap_pages,
+		     "number of mmap data pages"),
+	OPT_STRING(0, "uid", &trace.opts.target.uid_str, "user",
+		   "user to profile"),
+	OPT_END()
+	};
+	int err;
+
+	argc = parse_options(argc, argv, trace_options, trace_usage, 0);
+	if (argc)
+		usage_with_options(trace_usage, trace_options);
+
+	err = perf_target__parse_uid(&trace.opts.target);
+	if (err) {
+		char bf[BUFSIZ];
+		perf_target__strerror(&trace.opts.target, err, bf, sizeof(bf));
+		printf("%s", bf);
+		return err;
+	}
+
+	return trace__run(&trace);
+}
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin.h b/tools/perf/builtin.h
index 3ea74ed1b26b..08143bd854c7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin.h
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ extern int cmd_kmem(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_lock(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_kvm(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_test(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
+extern int cmd_trace(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 extern int cmd_inject(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix);
 
 extern int find_scripts(char **scripts_array, char **scripts_path_array);
diff --git a/tools/perf/command-list.txt b/tools/perf/command-list.txt
index 0303ec692274..3e86bbd8c2d5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/command-list.txt
+++ b/tools/perf/command-list.txt
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ perf-report			mainporcelain common
 perf-stat			mainporcelain common
 perf-timechart			mainporcelain common
 perf-top			mainporcelain common
+perf-trace			mainporcelain common
 perf-script			mainporcelain common
 perf-probe			mainporcelain full
 perf-kmem			mainporcelain common
diff --git a/tools/perf/perf.c b/tools/perf/perf.c
index fb8578cfa03c..3fb052c9a27f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/perf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/perf.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ static struct cmd_struct commands[] = {
 	{ "lock",	cmd_lock,	0 },
 	{ "kvm",	cmd_kvm,	0 },
 	{ "test",	cmd_test,	0 },
+	{ "trace",	cmd_trace,	0 },
 	{ "inject",	cmd_inject,	0 },
 };