diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
index 7a4b549214e3..bba34636b733 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
@@ -109,9 +109,22 @@ $(OUTPUT)PERF-VERSION-FILE: ../../.git/HEAD
 	$(Q)$(SHELL_PATH) util/PERF-VERSION-GEN $(OUTPUT)
 	$(Q)touch $(OUTPUT)PERF-VERSION-FILE
 
-CC = $(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc
-LD ?= $(CROSS_COMPILE)ld
-AR = $(CROSS_COMPILE)ar
+# Makefiles suck: This macro sets a default value of $(2) for the
+# variable named by $(1), unless the variable has been set by
+# environment or command line. This is necessary for CC and AR
+# because make sets default values, so the simpler ?= approach
+# won't work as expected.
+define allow-override
+  $(if $(or $(findstring environment,$(origin $(1))),\
+            $(findstring command line,$(origin $(1)))),,\
+    $(eval $(1) = $(2)))
+endef
+
+# Allow setting CC and AR and LD, or setting CROSS_COMPILE as a prefix.
+$(call allow-override,CC,$(CROSS_COMPILE)gcc)
+$(call allow-override,AR,$(CROSS_COMPILE)ar)
+$(call allow-override,LD,$(CROSS_COMPILE)ld)
+
 PKG_CONFIG = $(CROSS_COMPILE)pkg-config
 
 RM      = rm -f
diff --git a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
index 7e7405c9b936..83d9dd96fe08 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/auxtrace.c
@@ -53,11 +53,6 @@ int auxtrace_mmap__mmap(struct auxtrace_mmap *mm,
 {
 	struct perf_event_mmap_page *pc = userpg;
 
-#if BITS_PER_LONG != 64 && !defined(HAVE_SYNC_COMPARE_AND_SWAP_SUPPORT)
-	pr_err("Cannot use AUX area tracing mmaps\n");
-	return -1;
-#endif
-
 	WARN_ONCE(mm->base, "Uninitialized auxtrace_mmap\n");
 
 	mm->userpg = userpg;
@@ -73,6 +68,11 @@ int auxtrace_mmap__mmap(struct auxtrace_mmap *mm,
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+#if BITS_PER_LONG != 64 && !defined(HAVE_SYNC_COMPARE_AND_SWAP_SUPPORT)
+	pr_err("Cannot use AUX area tracing mmaps\n");
+	return -1;
+#endif
+
 	pc->aux_offset = mp->offset;
 	pc->aux_size = mp->len;