diff --git a/tools/perf/util/config.c b/tools/perf/util/config.c
index 57ff826f150b..c802236b2bfe 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/config.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/config.c
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ static int buildid_dir_command_config(const char *var, const char *value,
 	const char *v;
 
 	/* same dir for all commands */
-	if (!prefixcmp(var, "buildid.") && !strcmp(var + 8, "dir")) {
+	if (!strcmp(var, "buildid.dir")) {
 		v = perf_config_dirname(var, value);
 		if (!v)
 			return -1;