diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
index 10457b10e568..7dde3ef0398f 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-buildid-cache.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "util/session.h"
 #include "util/symbol.h"
 #include "util/time-utils.h"
+#include "util/util.h"
 #include "util/probe-file.h"
 
 static int build_id_cache__kcore_buildid(const char *proc_dir, char *sbuildid)
diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin.h b/tools/perf/builtin.h
index 999fe9170122..14a2db622a7b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin.h
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin.h
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 #ifndef BUILTIN_H
 #define BUILTIN_H
 
-#include "util/util.h"
-
 extern const char perf_usage_string[];
 extern const char perf_more_info_string[];
 
diff --git a/tools/perf/perf.c b/tools/perf/perf.c
index d4e4d53e8b44..34763a9b873d 100644
--- a/tools/perf/perf.c
+++ b/tools/perf/perf.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "util/bpf-loader.h"
 #include "util/debug.h"
 #include "util/event.h"
+#include "util/util.h"
 #include <api/fs/fs.h>
 #include <api/fs/tracing_path.h>
 #include <errno.h>