diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/shell/lib/perf_json_output_lint.py b/tools/perf/tests/shell/lib/perf_json_output_lint.py
index c6750ef06c0f..1369baaa0361 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/shell/lib/perf_json_output_lint.py
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/shell/lib/perf_json_output_lint.py
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ def check_json_output(expected_items):
       'socket': lambda x: True,
       'thread': lambda x: True,
       'unit': lambda x: True,
-      'insn per cycle': lambda x: isfloat(x),
-      'GHz': lambda x: True,  # FIXME: it seems unintended for --metric-only
   }
   input = '[\n' + ','.join(Lines) + '\n]'
   for item in json.loads(input):
@@ -88,6 +86,8 @@ def check_json_output(expected_items):
                            f' in \'{item}\'')
     for key, value in item.items():
       if key not in checks:
+        if args.metric_only:
+          continue
         raise RuntimeError(f'Unexpected key: key={key} value={value}')
       if not checks[key](value):
         raise RuntimeError(f'Check failed for: key={key} value={value}')
diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/shell/stat+json_output.sh b/tools/perf/tests/shell/stat+json_output.sh
index 98fb65274ac4..85d1ad7186c6 100755
--- a/tools/perf/tests/shell/stat+json_output.sh
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/shell/stat+json_output.sh
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ check_metric_only()
 		echo "[Skip] CPU-measurement counter facility not installed"
 		return
 	fi
-	perf stat -j --metric-only -e instructions,cycles -o "${stat_output}" true
+	perf stat -j --metric-only -M page_faults_per_second -o "${stat_output}" true
 	$PYTHON $pythonchecker --metric-only --file "${stat_output}"
 	echo "[Success]"
 }