diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
index 7daccaccd02f..713f4d17c553 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
@@ -349,10 +349,6 @@ install-gtk: $(OUTPUT)libperf-gtk.so
 		$(INSTALL) $(OUTPUT)libperf-gtk.so '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(libdir_SQ)'
 endif
 
-ifndef NO_ZLIB
-  LIB_OBJS += $(OUTPUT)util/zlib.o
-endif
-
 ifdef ASCIIDOC8
   export ASCIIDOC8
 endif
diff --git a/tools/perf/config/Makefile b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
index 2fc4d5682c3b..b97a7b903a23 100644
--- a/tools/perf/config/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
@@ -640,6 +640,7 @@ ifndef NO_ZLIB
   ifeq ($(feature-zlib), 1)
     CFLAGS += -DHAVE_ZLIB_SUPPORT
     EXTLIBS += -lz
+    $(call detected,CONFIG_ZLIB)
   else
     NO_ZLIB := 1
   endif
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/Build b/tools/perf/util/Build
index f69843218228..459918872f07 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/Build
+++ b/tools/perf/util/Build
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ libperf-$(CONFIG_LIBUNWIND)          += unwind-libunwind.o
 libperf-y += scripting-engines/
 
 libperf-$(CONFIG_PERF_REGS) += perf_regs.o
+libperf-$(CONFIG_ZLIB) += zlib.o
 
 CFLAGS_config.o   += -DETC_PERFCONFIG="BUILD_STR($(ETC_PERFCONFIG_SQ))"
 CFLAGS_exec_cmd.o += -DPERF_EXEC_PATH="BUILD_STR($(perfexecdir_SQ))" -DPREFIX="BUILD_STR($(prefix_SQ))"