diff --git a/src/base/statistics.hh b/src/base/statistics.hh
index e0d268000d..6a7e23e21a 100644
--- a/src/base/statistics.hh
+++ b/src/base/statistics.hh
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ class DataWrap : public InfoAccess
             parent->addStat(info);
 
         if (name) {
-            info->setName(parent, name);
+            info->setName(name, parent == nullptr);
             info->flags.set(display);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/base/stats/info.cc b/src/base/stats/info.cc
index 85bf698bc6..c6024e7d84 100644
--- a/src/base/stats/info.cc
+++ b/src/base/stats/info.cc
@@ -111,13 +111,7 @@ validateStatName(const std::string &name)
 }
 
 void
-Info::setName(const std::string &name)
-{
-    setName(nullptr, name);
-}
-
-void
-Info::setName(const Group *parent, const std::string &name)
+Info::setName(const std::string &name, bool old_style)
 {
     if (!validateStatName(name))
         panic("invalid stat name '%s'", name);
@@ -126,12 +120,10 @@ Info::setName(const Group *parent, const std::string &name)
     // old-style stats without a parent group. New-style stats should
     // be unique since their names should correspond to a member
     // variable.
-    if (!parent) {
+    if (old_style) {
         auto p = nameMap().insert(make_pair(name, this));
 
-        if (!p.second)
-            panic("same statistic name used twice! name=%s\n",
-                  name);
+        panic_if(!p.second, "same statistic name used twice! name=%s\n", name);
     }
 
     this->name = name;
diff --git a/src/base/stats/info.hh b/src/base/stats/info.hh
index 6665102d5b..0e7e39883c 100644
--- a/src/base/stats/info.hh
+++ b/src/base/stats/info.hh
@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@ GEM5_DEPRECATED_NAMESPACE(Stats, statistics);
 namespace statistics
 {
 
-class Group;
-
 typedef uint16_t FlagsType;
 typedef ::Flags<FlagsType> Flags;
 
@@ -101,9 +99,15 @@ class Info
     Info();
     virtual ~Info();
 
-    /** Set the name of this statistic */
-    void setName(const std::string &name);
-    void setName(const Group *parent, const std::string &name);
+    /**
+     * Set the name of this statistic. Special handling must be done when
+     * creating an old-style statistic (i.e., stats without a parent group).
+     *
+     * @param name The new name.
+     * @param old_style Whether we are using the old style.
+     */
+    void setName(const std::string &name, bool old_style=true);
+
     void setSeparator(std::string _sep) { separatorString = _sep;}
 
     /**