diff --git a/packages/linux/package.mk b/packages/linux/package.mk
index 2d253d569d..38d1dbc1d0 100644
--- a/packages/linux/package.mk
+++ b/packages/linux/package.mk
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ if [ "$TARGET_KERNEL_ARCH" = "arm64" -a "$TARGET_ARCH" = "arm" ]; then
   HEADERS_ARCH=$TARGET_ARCH
 fi
 
-if [ "$DEVTOOLS" = "yes" -a "$PKG_BUILD_PERF" != "no" ] && grep -q ^CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS= $PKG_KERNEL_CFG_FILE ; then
+if [ "$PKG_BUILD_PERF" != "no" ] && grep -q ^CONFIG_PERF_EVENTS= $PKG_KERNEL_CFG_FILE ; then
   PKG_BUILD_PERF="yes"
   PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET="$PKG_DEPENDS_TARGET binutils elfutils libunwind zlib openssl"
 fi