diff --git a/t/perf/run b/t/perf/run
index 4c966c0ae4..bd39398b9c 100755
--- a/t/perf/run
+++ b/t/perf/run
@@ -102,29 +102,37 @@ get_subsections () {
 
 get_var_from_env_or_config () {
 	env_var="$1"
-	conf_var="$2"
-	# $3 can be set to a default value
+	conf_sec="$2"
+	conf_var="$3"
+	# $4 can be set to a default value
 
 	# Do nothing if the env variable is already set
 	eval "test -z \"\${$env_var+x}\"" || return
 
+	test -z "$GIT_PERF_CONFIG_FILE" && return
+
 	# Check if the variable is in the config file
-	test -n "$GIT_PERF_CONFIG_FILE" &&
-	conf_value=$(git config -f "$GIT_PERF_CONFIG_FILE" "$conf_var") &&
-	eval "$env_var=\"$conf_value\"" || {
-		test -n "${3+x}" &&
-		eval "$env_var=\"$3\""
-	}
+	if test -n "$GIT_PERF_SUBSECTION"
+	then
+		var="$conf_sec.$GIT_PERF_SUBSECTION.$conf_var"
+		conf_value=$(git config -f "$GIT_PERF_CONFIG_FILE" "$var") &&
+		eval "$env_var=\"$conf_value\"" && return
+	fi
+	var="$conf_sec.$conf_var"
+	conf_value=$(git config -f "$GIT_PERF_CONFIG_FILE" "$var") &&
+	eval "$env_var=\"$conf_value\"" && return
+
+	test -n "${4+x}" && eval "$env_var=\"$4\""
 }
 
-get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_REPEAT_COUNT" "perf.repeatCount" 3
+get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_REPEAT_COUNT" "perf" "repeatCount" 3
 export GIT_PERF_REPEAT_COUNT
 
-get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_DIRS_OR_REVS" "perf.dirsOrRevs"
+get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_DIRS_OR_REVS" "perf" "dirsOrRevs"
 set -- $GIT_PERF_DIRS_OR_REVS "$@"
 
-get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_MAKE_COMMAND" "perf.makeCommand"
-get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_MAKE_OPTS" "perf.makeOpts"
+get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_MAKE_COMMAND" "perf" "makeCommand"
+get_var_from_env_or_config "GIT_PERF_MAKE_OPTS" "perf" "makeOpts"
 
 GIT_PERF_AGGREGATING_LATER=t
 export GIT_PERF_AGGREGATING_LATER