diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/Makefile b/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/Makefile
index 4504ee07be08..3686bfa6c58d 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/Makefile
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/netfilter/Makefile
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@ TEST_PROGS := nft_trans_stress.sh nft_fib.sh nft_nat.sh bridge_brouter.sh \
 	ipip-conntrack-mtu.sh conntrack_tcp_unreplied.sh \
 	conntrack_vrf.sh nft_synproxy.sh rpath.sh
 
-CFLAGS += $(shell pkg-config --cflags libmnl 2>/dev/null || echo "-I/usr/include/libmnl")
-LDLIBS = -lmnl
+HOSTPKG_CONFIG := pkg-config
+
+CFLAGS += $(shell $(HOSTPKG_CONFIG) --cflags libmnl 2>/dev/null)
+LDLIBS += $(shell $(HOSTPKG_CONFIG) --libs libmnl 2>/dev/null || echo -lmnl)
+
 TEST_GEN_FILES =  nf-queue connect_close
 
 include ../lib.mk