diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile b/tools/perf/Makefile
index a5e9b876ca09..4b20fa47c3ab 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin-stat.o
 BUILTIN_OBJS += builtin-top.o
 
 PERFLIBS = $(LIB_FILE)
-EXTLIBS = -lbfd
+EXTLIBS = -lbfd -liberty
 
 #
 # Platform specific tweaks