diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/perf.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/perf.nix
index 1936f6578b6..0194099742f 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/perf.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/kernel/perf.nix
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ assert versionAtLeast kernel.version "3.12";
 stdenv.mkDerivation {
   name = "perf-linux-${kernel.version}";
 
-  inherit (kernel) src makeFlags;
+  inherit (kernel) src;
 
   preConfigure = ''
     cd tools/perf
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
       "-Wno-error=unused-const-variable" "-Wno-error=misleading-indentation"
     ];
 
+  makeFlags = if stdenv.hostPlatform == stdenv.buildPlatform
+    then null
+    else "CROSS_COMPILE=${stdenv.cc.prefix}";
+
   installFlags = "install install-man ASCIIDOC8=1";
 
   preFixup = ''