diff --git a/tools/perf/lib/Makefile b/tools/perf/lib/Makefile
index 0889c9c3ec19..0f233638ef1f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/lib/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/lib/Makefile
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 LIBAPI = $(API_PATH)libapi.a
+export LIBAPI
 
 $(LIBAPI): FORCE
 	$(Q)$(MAKE) -C $(LIB_DIR) O=$(OUTPUT) $(OUTPUT)libapi.a
diff --git a/tools/perf/lib/tests/Makefile b/tools/perf/lib/tests/Makefile
index 1ee4e9ba848b..a43cd08c5c03 100644
--- a/tools/perf/lib/tests/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/lib/tests/Makefile
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ all:
 
 include $(srctree)/tools/scripts/Makefile.include
 
-INCLUDE = -I$(srctree)/tools/perf/lib/include -I$(srctree)/tools/include
+INCLUDE = -I$(srctree)/tools/perf/lib/include -I$(srctree)/tools/include -I$(srctree)/tools/lib
 
 $(TESTS_A): FORCE
-	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(INCLUDE) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $(subst -a,.c,$@) ../libperf.a
+	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(INCLUDE) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $(subst -a,.c,$@) ../libperf.a $(LIBAPI)
 
 $(TESTS_SO): FORCE
-	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(INCLUDE) $(CFLAGS) -L.. -o $@ $(subst -so,.c,$@) -lperf
+	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) $(INCLUDE) $(CFLAGS) -L.. -o $@ $(subst -so,.c,$@) $(LIBAPI) -lperf
 
 all: $(TESTS_A) $(TESTS_SO)