diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index c0a34064c5744e44ca696b3dd5bdb2ea809384e0..eef3d3f87c3b5cba583eec948be4ac87aa7c5c04 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -950,9 +950,11 @@ mod_sign_cmd = true
 endif
 export mod_sign_cmd
 
+HOST_LIBELF_LIBS = $(shell pkg-config libelf --libs 2>/dev/null || echo -lelf)
+
 ifdef CONFIG_STACK_VALIDATION
   has_libelf := $(call try-run,\
-		echo "int main() {}" | $(HOSTCC) -xc -o /dev/null -lelf -,1,0)
+		echo "int main() {}" | $(HOSTCC) -xc -o /dev/null $(HOST_LIBELF_LIBS) -,1,0)
   ifeq ($(has_libelf),1)
     objtool_target := tools/objtool FORCE
   else
diff --git a/tools/objtool/Makefile b/tools/objtool/Makefile
index c9d038f91af6b345044bb116680a66f140d2ead1..53f8be0f4a1f763e613b649aeac98399bd34eb69 100644
--- a/tools/objtool/Makefile
+++ b/tools/objtool/Makefile
@@ -25,14 +25,17 @@ LIBSUBCMD		= $(LIBSUBCMD_OUTPUT)libsubcmd.a
 OBJTOOL    := $(OUTPUT)objtool
 OBJTOOL_IN := $(OBJTOOL)-in.o
 
+LIBELF_FLAGS := $(shell pkg-config libelf --cflags 2>/dev/null)
+LIBELF_LIBS  := $(shell pkg-config libelf --libs 2>/dev/null || echo -lelf)
+
 all: $(OBJTOOL)
 
 INCLUDES := -I$(srctree)/tools/include \
 	    -I$(srctree)/tools/arch/$(HOSTARCH)/include/uapi \
 	    -I$(srctree)/tools/objtool/arch/$(ARCH)/include
 WARNINGS := $(EXTRA_WARNINGS) -Wno-switch-default -Wno-switch-enum -Wno-packed
-CFLAGS   += -Werror $(WARNINGS) $(KBUILD_HOSTCFLAGS) -g $(INCLUDES)
-LDFLAGS  += -lelf $(LIBSUBCMD) $(KBUILD_HOSTLDFLAGS)
+CFLAGS   += -Werror $(WARNINGS) $(KBUILD_HOSTCFLAGS) -g $(INCLUDES) $(LIBELF_FLAGS)
+LDFLAGS  += $(LIBELF_LIBS) $(LIBSUBCMD) $(KBUILD_HOSTLDFLAGS)
 
 # Allow old libelf to be used:
 elfshdr := $(shell echo '$(pound)include <libelf.h>' | $(CC) $(CFLAGS) -x c -E - | grep elf_getshdr)