diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/Build b/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/Build
index d22e3d07de3d..f98da17357c0 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/Build
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/arm/util/Build
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 libperf-$(CONFIG_DWARF) += dwarf-regs.o
 
-libperf-$(CONFIG_LIBUNWIND)          += unwind-libunwind.o
+libperf-$(CONFIG_LOCAL_LIBUNWIND)    += unwind-libunwind.o
 libperf-$(CONFIG_LIBDW_DWARF_UNWIND) += unwind-libdw.o
diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/arm64/util/Build b/tools/perf/arch/arm64/util/Build
index e58123a8912b..02f41dba4f4f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/arm64/util/Build
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/arm64/util/Build
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 libperf-$(CONFIG_DWARF)     += dwarf-regs.o
-libperf-$(CONFIG_LIBUNWIND) += unwind-libunwind.o
+libperf-$(CONFIG_LOCAL_LIBUNWIND) += unwind-libunwind.o
diff --git a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/Build b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/Build
index 4cd8a16b1b7b..f95e6f46ef0d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/Build
+++ b/tools/perf/arch/x86/util/Build
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ libperf-y += group.o
 libperf-$(CONFIG_DWARF) += dwarf-regs.o
 libperf-$(CONFIG_BPF_PROLOGUE) += dwarf-regs.o
 
-libperf-$(CONFIG_LIBUNWIND)          += unwind-libunwind.o
+libperf-$(CONFIG_LOCAL_LIBUNWIND)    += unwind-libunwind.o
 libperf-$(CONFIG_LIBDW_DWARF_UNWIND) += unwind-libdw.o
 
 libperf-$(CONFIG_AUXTRACE) += auxtrace.o
diff --git a/tools/perf/config/Makefile b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
index 118df2d04b08..3918687e7816 100644
--- a/tools/perf/config/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
@@ -353,10 +353,20 @@ ifeq ($(ARCH),powerpc)
 endif
 
 ifndef NO_LIBUNWIND
+  have_libunwind :=
   ifneq ($(feature-libunwind), 1)
     msg := $(warning No libunwind found. Please install libunwind-dev[el] >= 1.1 and/or set LIBUNWIND_DIR);
+    NO_LOCAL_LIBUNWIND := 1
+  else
+    have_libunwind := 1
+    $(call detected,CONFIG_LOCAL_LIBUNWIND)
+  endif
+
+  ifneq ($(have_libunwind), 1)
     NO_LIBUNWIND := 1
   endif
+else
+  NO_LOCAL_LIBUNWIND := 1
 endif
 
 ifndef NO_LIBBPF
@@ -394,7 +404,7 @@ else
   NO_DWARF_UNWIND := 1
 endif
 
-ifndef NO_LIBUNWIND
+ifndef NO_LOCAL_LIBUNWIND
   ifeq ($(ARCH),$(filter $(ARCH),arm arm64))
     $(call feature_check,libunwind-debug-frame)
     ifneq ($(feature-libunwind-debug-frame), 1)
@@ -405,10 +415,14 @@ ifndef NO_LIBUNWIND
     # non-ARM has no dwarf_find_debug_frame() function:
     CFLAGS += -DNO_LIBUNWIND_DEBUG_FRAME
   endif
-  CFLAGS  += -DHAVE_LIBUNWIND_SUPPORT
   EXTLIBS += $(LIBUNWIND_LIBS)
+  LDFLAGS += $(LIBUNWIND_LIBS)
+endif
+
+ifndef NO_LIBUNWIND
+  CFLAGS  += -DHAVE_LIBUNWIND_SUPPORT
   CFLAGS  += $(LIBUNWIND_CFLAGS)
-  LDFLAGS += $(LIBUNWIND_LDFLAGS) $(LIBUNWIND_LIBS)
+  LDFLAGS += $(LIBUNWIND_LDFLAGS)
 endif
 
 ifndef NO_LIBAUDIT