diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/make b/tools/perf/tests/make
index c441a28751283579652f01017aed8243e44c6246..d1efef9c7576fbbe3ed9911ed46341539baf2209 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/make
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/make
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 PERF := .
 MK   := Makefile
 
+has = $(shell which $1 2>/dev/null)
+
 # standard single make variable specified
 make_clean_all      := clean all
 make_python_perf_so := python/perf.so
@@ -50,14 +52,19 @@ run += make_no_backtrace
 run += make_no_libnuma
 run += make_no_libaudit
 run += make_no_libbionic
-run += make_tags
-run += make_cscope
 run += make_help
 run += make_doc
 run += make_perf_o
 run += make_util_map_o
 run += make_minimal
 
+ifneq ($(call has,ctags),)
+run += make_tags
+endif
+ifneq ($(call has,cscope),)
+run += make_cscope
+endif
+
 # $(run_O) contains same portion of $(run) tests with '_O' attached
 # to distinguish O=... tests
 run_O := $(addsuffix _O,$(run))