diff --git a/tools/elfutils/Makefile b/tools/elfutils/Makefile
index 39e7f80b4ad..0fbf1aedad0 100644
--- a/tools/elfutils/Makefile
+++ b/tools/elfutils/Makefile
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ ifeq ($(HOST_OS),Darwin)
 endif
 
 HOST_CFLAGS += -Wno-error -fPIC
+HOST_CXXFLAGS += -O2
 
 HOST_CONFIGURE_ARGS += \
 	--without-libintl-prefix \