diff --git a/tools/perf/util/machine.c b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
index a53cd0b8c151..27c2a5efe450 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/machine.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/machine.c
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ static char *get_kernel_version(const char *root_dir)
 }
 
 static int map_groups__set_modules_path_dir(struct map_groups *mg,
-				const char *dir_name)
+				const char *dir_name, int depth)
 {
 	struct dirent *dent;
 	DIR *dir = opendir(dir_name);
@@ -742,7 +742,15 @@ static int map_groups__set_modules_path_dir(struct map_groups *mg,
 			    !strcmp(dent->d_name, ".."))
 				continue;
 
-			ret = map_groups__set_modules_path_dir(mg, path);
+			/* Do not follow top-level source and build symlinks */
+			if (depth == 0) {
+				if (!strcmp(dent->d_name, "source") ||
+				    !strcmp(dent->d_name, "build"))
+					continue;
+			}
+
+			ret = map_groups__set_modules_path_dir(mg, path,
+							       depth + 1);
 			if (ret < 0)
 				goto out;
 		} else {
@@ -786,11 +794,11 @@ static int machine__set_modules_path(struct machine *machine)
 	if (!version)
 		return -1;
 
-	snprintf(modules_path, sizeof(modules_path), "%s/lib/modules/%s/kernel",
+	snprintf(modules_path, sizeof(modules_path), "%s/lib/modules/%s",
 		 machine->root_dir, version);
 	free(version);
 
-	return map_groups__set_modules_path_dir(&machine->kmaps, modules_path);
+	return map_groups__set_modules_path_dir(&machine->kmaps, modules_path, 0);
 }
 
 static int machine__create_module(void *arg, const char *name, u64 start)