diff --git a/tools/perf/config/Makefile b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
index a71fb395e38f..a57d59e7fe4b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/config/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
@@ -194,7 +194,10 @@ VF_FEATURE_TESTS =			\
 	stackprotector-all		\
 	timerfd				\
 	libunwind-debug-frame		\
-	bionic
+	bionic				\
+	liberty				\
+	liberty-z			\
+	cplus-demangle
 
 # Set FEATURE_CHECK_(C|LD)FLAGS-all for all CORE_FEATURE_TESTS features.
 # If in the future we need per-feature checks/flags for features not
@@ -512,7 +515,21 @@ else
 endif
 
 ifeq ($(feature-libbfd), 1)
-  EXTLIBS += -lbfd -lz -liberty
+  EXTLIBS += -lbfd
+
+  # call all detections now so we get correct
+  # status in VF output
+  $(call feature_check,liberty)
+  $(call feature_check,liberty-z)
+  $(call feature_check,cplus-demangle)
+
+  ifeq ($(feature-liberty), 1)
+    EXTLIBS += -liberty
+  else
+    ifeq ($(feature-liberty-z), 1)
+      EXTLIBS += -liberty -lz
+    endif
+  endif
 endif
 
 ifdef NO_DEMANGLE
@@ -523,15 +540,10 @@ else
     CFLAGS += -DHAVE_CPLUS_DEMANGLE_SUPPORT
   else
     ifneq ($(feature-libbfd), 1)
-      $(call feature_check,liberty)
-      ifeq ($(feature-liberty), 1)
-        EXTLIBS += -lbfd -liberty
-      else
-        $(call feature_check,liberty-z)
-        ifeq ($(feature-liberty-z), 1)
-          EXTLIBS += -lbfd -liberty -lz
-        else
-          $(call feature_check,cplus-demangle)
+      ifneq ($(feature-liberty), 1)
+        ifneq ($(feature-liberty-z), 1)
+          # we dont have neither HAVE_CPLUS_DEMANGLE_SUPPORT
+          # or any of 'bfd iberty z' trinity
           ifeq ($(feature-cplus-demangle), 1)
             EXTLIBS += -liberty
             CFLAGS += -DHAVE_CPLUS_DEMANGLE_SUPPORT