diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/bench/Makefile b/tools/power/cpupower/bench/Makefile
index d9d9923af85c..a4b902f9e1c4 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/bench/Makefile
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/bench/Makefile
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ LIBS = -L../ -L$(OUTPUT) -lm -lcpupower
 OBJS = $(OUTPUT)main.o $(OUTPUT)parse.o $(OUTPUT)system.o $(OUTPUT)benchmark.o
 endif
 
-CFLAGS += -D_GNU_SOURCE -I../lib -DDEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE=\"$(confdir)/cpufreq-bench.conf\"
+override CFLAGS += -D_GNU_SOURCE -I../lib -DDEFAULT_CONFIG_FILE=\"$(confdir)/cpufreq-bench.conf\"
 
 $(OUTPUT)%.o : %.c
 	$(ECHO) "  CC      " $@