diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
index 6286e13adc2e..ae20edfcc3f7 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile.perf
@@ -789,8 +789,8 @@ help:
 	@echo ''
 	@echo 'Perf install targets:'
 	@echo '  NOTE: documentation build requires asciidoc, xmlto packages to be installed'
-	@echo '  HINT: use "make prefix=<path> <install target>" to install to a particular'
-	@echo '        path like make prefix=/usr/local install install-doc'
+	@echo '  HINT: use "prefix" or "DESTDIR" to install to a particular'
+	@echo '        path like "make prefix=/usr/local install install-doc"'
 	@echo '  install	- install compiled binaries'
 	@echo '  install-doc	- install *all* documentation'
 	@echo '  install-man	- install manpage documentation'
diff --git a/tools/perf/config/Makefile b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
index 319426f632fc..4f100b54ba8b 100644
--- a/tools/perf/config/Makefile
+++ b/tools/perf/config/Makefile
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ endif
 
 # Make the path relative to DESTDIR, not to prefix
 ifndef DESTDIR
-prefix = $(HOME)
+prefix ?= $(HOME)
 endif
 bindir_relative = bin
 bindir = $(prefix)/$(bindir_relative)