diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile b/tools/perf/Makefile
index 722ddee61f9f..939cf6d898a5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile
@@ -64,12 +64,12 @@ AR = $(CROSS_COMPILE)ar
 
 # Additional ARCH settings for x86
 ifeq ($(ARCH),i386)
-	ARCH := x86
+	override ARCH := x86
 	NO_PERF_REGS := 0
 	LIBUNWIND_LIBS = -lunwind -lunwind-x86
 endif
 ifeq ($(ARCH),x86_64)
-	ARCH := x86
+	override ARCH := x86
 	IS_X86_64 := 0
 	ifeq (, $(findstring m32,$(EXTRA_CFLAGS)))
 		IS_X86_64 := $(shell echo __x86_64__ | ${CC} -E -xc - | tail -n 1)