diff --git a/ci/build_cpp.sh b/ci/build_cpp.sh
index f1ddf2abdd..2c96e3dfd5 100755
--- a/ci/build_cpp.sh
+++ b/ci/build_cpp.sh
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ cmake -G "${CMAKE_GENERATOR:-Ninja}" \
       -Dvt_build_extended_tests="${VT_EXTENDED_TESTS_ENABLED:-1}" \
       -Dvt_zoltan_enabled="${VT_ZOLTAN_ENABLED:-0}" \
       -Dvt_tv_enabled="${VT_TV_ENABLED:-0}" \
+      -Dvt_perf_enabled="${VT_PERF_ENABLED:-0}" \
       -Dvt_production_build_enabled="${VT_PRODUCTION_BUILD_ENABLED:-0}" \
       -Dvt_unity_build_enabled="${VT_UNITY_BUILD_ENABLED:-0}" \
       -Dvt_diagnostics_enabled="${VT_DIAGNOSTICS_ENABLED:-1}" \
diff --git a/cmake/configure_options.cmake b/cmake/configure_options.cmake
index e3509db735..f593260af6 100644
--- a/cmake/configure_options.cmake
+++ b/cmake/configure_options.cmake
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ define_option(vt_rdma_tests_enabled "RDMA tests" "Build VT with RDMA tests enabl
     ON vt_feature_cmake_rdma_tests
 )
 
+define_option(vt_perf_enabled "perf task measurement"
+    "Build VT with Linux perf to measure low level metrics of interest" OFF vt_feature_cmake_perf
+)
 
 #####################################################
 #################### DIAGNOSTICS ####################
diff --git a/cmake/load_packages.cmake b/cmake/load_packages.cmake
index 754b62ea43..7a3a3130ab 100644
--- a/cmake/load_packages.cmake
+++ b/cmake/load_packages.cmake
@@ -18,5 +18,8 @@ include(cmake/load_libunwind.cmake)
 # Optionally link with Zoltan
 include(cmake/load_zoltan_package.cmake)
 
+# If enabled, test if perf is available and works
+include(cmake/load_perf.cmake)
+
 # Tests
 include(cmake/test_vt.cmake)
diff --git a/cmake/load_perf.cmake b/cmake/load_perf.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1fee0328ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmake/load_perf.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+set(vt_perf_found "0")
+
+if (vt_perf_enabled)
+    # check if linux
+    if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Linux")
+        # check if there's the perf header we need
+        include(CheckIncludeFiles)
+        CHECK_INCLUDE_FILES("linux/perf_event.h" HAVE_PERF_EVENT_H)
+        if (HAVE_PERF_EVENT_H)
+            # check if the kernel is recent enough
+            string(REPLACE "." ";" VERSION_LIST ${CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION})
+            list(GET VERSION_LIST 0 KERNEL_MAJOR_VERSION)
+            if (KERNEL_MAJOR_VERSION GREATER_EQUAL 4)
+                # check if a simple perf stat runs without issues
+                execute_process(
+                    COMMAND perf stat pwd
+                    RESULT_VARIABLE PERF_STAT_RESULT
+                    OUTPUT_QUIET
+                    ERROR_QUIET
+                )
+                if (PERF_STAT_RESULT EQUAL 0)
+                    message(STATUS "Perf measurements enabled.")
+                    set(vt_perf_enabled "1")
+                    set(vt_perf_found "1")
+                else ()
+                    message(WARNING "Perf disabled: \"perf stat\" results in non-zero error code.")
+                    set(vt_perf_enabled "0")
+                    set(vt_perf_found "0")
+                endif ()
+            else ()
+                message(WARNING "Perf disabled: kernel major version is less than 4.")
+                set(vt_perf_enabled "0")
+                set(vt_perf_found "0")
+            endif ()
+        else ()
+            message(WARNING "Perf disabled: could not find \"perf_event.h\".")
+            set(vt_perf_enabled "0")
+            set(vt_perf_found "0")
+        endif ()
+    else ()
+        message(WARNING "Perf disabled: system name is not Linux.")
+        set(vt_perf_enabled "0")
+        set(vt_perf_found "0")
+    endif ()
+endif ()
diff --git a/cmake_config.h.in b/cmake_config.h.in
index 86585007df..7fd10fdfd9 100644
--- a/cmake_config.h.in
+++ b/cmake_config.h.in
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 #define vt_feature_cmake_external_fmt        @vt_feature_cmake_external_fmt@
 #define vt_feature_cmake_libunwind           @vt_feature_cmake_libunwind@
 #define vt_feature_cmake_tv                  @vt_feature_cmake_tv@
+#define vt_feature_cmake_perf                @vt_feature_cmake_perf@
 
 #define vt_detected_max_num_nodes @cmake_detected_max_num_nodes@
 
diff --git a/src/vt/configs/features/features_defines.h b/src/vt/configs/features/features_defines.h
index 8186bdca24..f6451e4479 100644
--- a/src/vt/configs/features/features_defines.h
+++ b/src/vt/configs/features/features_defines.h
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
 #define vt_feature_fmt_external        0 || vt_feature_cmake_external_fmt
 #define vt_feature_libunwind           0 || vt_feature_cmake_libunwind
 #define vt_feature_tv                  0 || vt_feature_cmake_tv
+#define vt_feature_perf                0 || vt_feature_cmake_perf
 
 #define vt_check_enabled(test_option) (vt_feature_ ## test_option != 0)
 
diff --git a/src/vt/configs/features/features_featureswitch.h b/src/vt/configs/features/features_featureswitch.h
index 6a65a249ae..10c9b71ccb 100644
--- a/src/vt/configs/features/features_featureswitch.h
+++ b/src/vt/configs/features/features_featureswitch.h
@@ -64,5 +64,6 @@
                                           "debug prints disabled)"
 #define vt_feature_str_trace_enabled      "Tracing Projections"
 #define vt_feature_str_zoltan             "Zoltan for load balancing"
+#define vt_feature_str_perf               "perf for event measurement"
 
 #endif /*INCLUDED_VT_CONFIGS_FEATURES_FEATURES_FEATURESWITCH_H*/