diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/make b/tools/perf/tests/make
index fc2a9a31113f..29810cf2c117 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/make
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/make
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ else
 endif
 else
 PERF := .
+PERF_O := $(PERF)
 O_OPT :=
 
 ifneq ($(O),)
   FULL_O := $(shell readlink -f $(O) || echo $(O))
+  PERF_O := $(FULL_O)
   ifeq ($(SET_O),1)
     O_OPT := 'O=$(FULL_O)'
   endif
@@ -173,11 +175,11 @@ test_make_doc    := $(test_ok)
 test_make_help_O := $(test_ok)
 test_make_doc_O  := $(test_ok)
 
-test_make_python_perf_so := test -f $(PERF)/python/perf.so
+test_make_python_perf_so := test -f $(PERF_O)/python/perf.so
 
-test_make_perf_o           := test -f $(PERF)/perf.o
-test_make_util_map_o       := test -f $(PERF)/util/map.o
-test_make_util_pmu_bison_o := test -f $(PERF)/util/pmu-bison.o
+test_make_perf_o           := test -f $(PERF_O)/perf.o
+test_make_util_map_o       := test -f $(PERF_O)/util/map.o
+test_make_util_pmu_bison_o := test -f $(PERF_O)/util/pmu-bison.o
 
 define test_dest_files
   for file in $(1); do				\
@@ -244,7 +246,7 @@ test_make_perf_o_O            := test -f $$TMP_O/perf.o
 test_make_util_map_o_O        := test -f $$TMP_O/util/map.o
 test_make_util_pmu_bison_o_O := test -f $$TMP_O/util/pmu-bison.o
 
-test_default = test -x $(PERF)/perf
+test_default = test -x $(PERF_O)/perf
 test = $(if $(test_$1),$(test_$1),$(test_default))
 
 test_default_O = test -x $$TMP_O/perf
@@ -293,17 +295,22 @@ tarpkg:
 	( eval $$cmd ) >> $@ 2>&1 && \
 	rm -f $@
 
+KERNEL_O := ../..
+ifneq ($(O),)
+  KERNEL_O := $(O)
+endif
+
 make_kernelsrc:
 	@echo "- make -C <kernelsrc> $(PARALLEL_OPT) tools/perf"
 	$(call clean); \
 	(make -C ../.. $(PARALLEL_OPT) tools/perf) > $@ 2>&1 && \
-	test -x perf && rm -f $@ || (cat $@ ; false)
+	test -x $(KERNEL_O)/tools/perf/perf && rm -f $@ || (cat $@ ; false)
 
 make_kernelsrc_tools:
 	@echo "- make -C <kernelsrc>/tools $(PARALLEL_OPT) perf"
 	$(call clean); \
 	(make -C ../../tools $(PARALLEL_OPT) perf) > $@ 2>&1 && \
-	test -x perf && rm -f $@ || (cat $@ ; false)
+	test -x $(KERNEL_O)/tools/perf/perf && rm -f $@ || (cat $@ ; false)
 
 all: $(run) $(run_O) tarpkg make_kernelsrc make_kernelsrc_tools
 	@echo OK