diff --git a/tools/perf/Makefile.config b/tools/perf/Makefile.config
index eb7a3aa586396..f882ce2e25b30 100644
--- a/tools/perf/Makefile.config
+++ b/tools/perf/Makefile.config
@@ -880,14 +880,12 @@ endif
 ifneq ($(NO_JEVENTS),1)
   NO_JEVENTS := 0
   ifndef PYTHON
-    $(warning No python interpreter disabling jevent generation)
-    NO_JEVENTS := 1
+    $(error ERROR: No python interpreter needed for jevents generation. Install python or build with NO_JEVENTS=1.)
   else
     # jevents.py uses f-strings present in Python 3.6 released in Dec. 2016.
     JEVENTS_PYTHON_GOOD := $(shell $(PYTHON) -c 'import sys;print("1" if(sys.version_info.major >= 3 and sys.version_info.minor >= 6) else "0")' 2> /dev/null)
     ifneq ($(JEVENTS_PYTHON_GOOD), 1)
-      $(warning Python interpreter too old (older than 3.6) disabling jevent generation)
-      NO_JEVENTS := 1
+      $(error ERROR: Python interpreter needed for jevents generation too old (older than 3.6). Install a newer python or build with NO_JEVENTS=1.)
     endif
   endif
 endif