diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c b/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c
index 41c9bde2..bb21e57 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-timechart.c
@@ -945,15 +945,17 @@
 {
 	u64 i;
 	int count;
+	int thresh = TIME_THRESH;
 
 	numcpus++;
 
 
-	count = determine_display_tasks(TIME_THRESH);
-
-	/* We'd like to show at least 15 tasks; be less picky if we have fewer */
-	if (count < 15)
-		count = determine_display_tasks(TIME_THRESH / 10);
+	/* We'd like to show at least proc_num tasks;
+	 * be less picky if we have fewer */
+	do {
+		count = determine_display_tasks(thresh);
+		thresh /= 10;
+	} while (!process_filter && thresh && count < 15);
 
 	open_svg(filename, numcpus, count, first_time, last_time);