diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
index 0e0938afbbb1..7a4b549214e3 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ $(OUTPUT)PERF-VERSION-FILE: ../../.git/HEAD
 	$(Q)touch $(OUTPUT)PERF-VERSION-FILE
 
 CC = $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
-LD = $(CROSS_COMPILE)ld
+LD ?= $(CROSS_COMPILE)ld
 AR = $(CROSS_COMPILE)ar
 PKG_CONFIG = $(CROSS_COMPILE)pkg-config