diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile.config b/tools/perf/Makefile.config
index 31e4cbe192b9..dca62e155fb5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile.config
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile.config
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ ifeq ($(CC_NO_CLANG), 0)
 
   # Default to host architecture if ARCH is not explicitly given.
   ifeq ($(ARCH), $(HOSTARCH))
-    CLANG_TARGET_FLAGS := $(shell $(CLANG) -print-target-triple)
+    CLANG_TARGET_FLAGS := $(shell $(CC) -print-target-triple)
   else
     CLANG_TARGET_FLAGS := $(CLANG_TARGET_FLAGS_$(ARCH))
   endif
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ ifeq ($(CC_NO_CLANG), 0)
     CLANG_FLAGS += --target=$(notdir $(CROSS_COMPILE:%-=%))
   endif # CROSS_COMPILE
 
-  CC := $(CLANG) $(CLANG_FLAGS) -fintegrated-as
+  CC := $(CC) $(CLANG_FLAGS) -fintegrated-as
 
   # CC being clang says nothing about CXX: "make LLVM=1" overrides both, but
   # "make CC=clang" leaves CXX as g++. Probe CXX the way Makefile.include