diff --git a/src/tool/pps/pps_datasource.cc b/src/tool/pps/pps_datasource.cc
index 168eda79c54..c397b602936 100644
--- a/src/tool/pps/pps_datasource.cc
+++ b/src/tool/pps/pps_datasource.cc
@@ -187,6 +187,32 @@ template <typename GpuCounterDescriptor> void add_descriptors(GpuCounterDescript
       }
       spec->add_numerator_units(units);
       spec->set_select_by_default(true);
+
+      // Classify counter into Perfetto counter groups via driver's virtual method.
+      // Each driver maps its own counter naming conventions; unrecognised counters
+      // are left without a group (which is valid).
+      driver.classify_counter_groups(counter.name, [&](CounterGroupType group) {
+         switch (group) {
+         case CounterGroupType::VERTICES:
+            spec->add_groups(GpuCounterDescriptor::VERTICES);
+            break;
+         case CounterGroupType::FRAGMENTS:
+            spec->add_groups(GpuCounterDescriptor::FRAGMENTS);
+            break;
+         case CounterGroupType::COMPUTE:
+            spec->add_groups(GpuCounterDescriptor::COMPUTE);
+            break;
+         case CounterGroupType::MEMORY:
+            spec->add_groups(GpuCounterDescriptor::MEMORY);
+            break;
+         case CounterGroupType::PRIMITIVES:
+            spec->add_groups(GpuCounterDescriptor::PRIMITIVES);
+            break;
+         case CounterGroupType::RAY_TRACING:
+            spec->add_groups(GpuCounterDescriptor::RAY_TRACING);
+            break;
+         }
+      });
    }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/tool/pps/pps_driver.h b/src/tool/pps/pps_driver.h
index b46c0f58bf6..c79e34ec4aa 100644
--- a/src/tool/pps/pps_driver.h
+++ b/src/tool/pps/pps_driver.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <functional>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
 #include <unordered_map>
@@ -19,6 +20,18 @@
 
 namespace pps
 {
+/// @brief Perfetto-compatible counter group categories for classifying GPU counters.
+/// These mirror the values in perfetto::protos::pbzero::GpuCounterDescriptor::CounterGroup
+/// so that driver implementations do not need to include Perfetto headers.
+enum class CounterGroupType {
+   VERTICES,
+   FRAGMENTS,
+   COMPUTE,
+   MEMORY,
+   PRIMITIVES,
+   RAY_TRACING,
+};
+
 /// @brief Abstract Driver class
 class Driver
 {
@@ -90,6 +103,14 @@ class Driver
    /// than sampling separately CPU & GPU timestamps.
    virtual bool cpu_gpu_timestamp(uint64_t &cpu_timestamp, uint64_t &gpu_timestamp) const = 0;
 
+   /// @brief Classify a counter name into Perfetto counter groups.
+   /// Drivers should call add_group(CounterGroupType::XYZ) for each group
+   /// that applies to the given counter name.
+   /// The default implementation does nothing (counters are left unclassified).
+   virtual void classify_counter_groups(
+      const std::string & /*counter_name*/,
+      const std::function<void(CounterGroupType)> & /*add_group*/) const {}
+
    DrmDevice drm_device;
 
    /// List of counter groups