diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/make b/tools/perf/tests/make
index c850d1664c56..5d0c3a9c47a1 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/make
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/make
@@ -28,9 +28,13 @@ endif
 
 PARALLEL_OPT=
 ifeq ($(SET_PARALLEL),1)
-  cores := $(shell (getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN || egrep -c '^processor|^CPU[0-9]' /proc/cpuinfo) 2>/dev/null)
-  ifeq ($(cores),0)
-    cores := 1
+  ifeq ($(JOBS),)
+    cores := $(shell (getconf _NPROCESSORS_ONLN || egrep -c '^processor|^CPU[0-9]' /proc/cpuinfo) 2>/dev/null)
+    ifeq ($(cores),0)
+      cores := 1
+    endif
+  else
+    cores=$(JOBS)
   endif
   PARALLEL_OPT="-j$(cores)"
 endif