diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile b/tools/perf/Makefile
index ef75a5570d94..1d3d513beb9b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ $(LIB_FILE): $(LIB_OBJS)
 
 # libtraceevent.a
 $(LIBTRACEEVENT):
-	$(MAKE) -C $(TRACE_EVENT_DIR) $(COMMAND_O) libtraceevent.a
+	$(QUIET_SUBDIR0)$(TRACE_EVENT_DIR) $(QUIET_SUBDIR1) $(COMMAND_O) libtraceevent.a
 
 help:
 	@echo 'Perf make targets:'
@@ -976,6 +976,6 @@ clean:
 	$(RM) $(OUTPUT)util/*-{bison,flex}*
 	$(python-clean)
 
-.PHONY: all install clean strip
+.PHONY: all install clean strip $(LIBTRACEEVENT)
 .PHONY: shell_compatibility_test please_set_SHELL_PATH_to_a_more_modern_shell
 .PHONY: .FORCE-PERF-VERSION-FILE TAGS tags cscope .FORCE-PERF-CFLAGS