diff --git a/tools/perf/config/Makefile b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
index a9b93d1ecefa82c7b119fc4cae0915b673a91cf3..8768f84e42a57725058805be9018044f97840fab 100644
--- a/tools/perf/config/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ ifneq ($(obj-perf),)
 obj-perf := $(abspath $(obj-perf))/
 endif
 
-$(shell echo -n > $(OUTPUT).config-detected)
+$(shell printf "" > $(OUTPUT).config-detected)
 detected     = $(shell echo "$(1)=y"       >> $(OUTPUT).config-detected)
 detected_var = $(shell echo "$(1)=$($(1))" >> $(OUTPUT).config-detected)