diff --git a/tools/run_tests/performance/build_performance.sh b/tools/run_tests/performance/build_performance.sh
index 9e6e72d97bb..ab6bffdc34a 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/performance/build_performance.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/performance/build_performance.sh
@@ -25,10 +25,16 @@ CONFIG=${CONFIG:-opt}
 # TODO(jtattermusch): C++ worker and driver are not buildable on Windows yet
 if [ "$OSTYPE" != "msys" ]
 then
-  # TODO(jtattermusch): not embedding OpenSSL breaks the C# build because
-  # grpc_csharp_ext needs OpenSSL embedded and some intermediate files from
-  # this build will be reused.
-  make CONFIG="${CONFIG}" EMBED_OPENSSL=true EMBED_ZLIB=true qps_worker qps_json_driver -j8
+  # build C++ with cmake as building with "make" disables boringssl assembly
+  # optimizations that can have huge impact on secure channel throughput.
+  mkdir -p cmake/build
+  cd cmake/build
+  cmake -DgRPC_BUILD_TESTS=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ../..
+  make qps_worker qps_json_driver -j8
+  cd ../..
+  # unbreak subsequent make builds by restoring zconf.h (previously renamed by cmake build)
+  # See https://github.com/grpc/grpc/issues/11581
+  (cd third_party/zlib; git checkout zconf.h)
 fi
 
 PHP_ALREADY_BUILT=""
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/performance/run_qps_driver.sh b/tools/run_tests/performance/run_qps_driver.sh
index 2d9e310deca..47a03db0260 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/performance/run_qps_driver.sh
+++ b/tools/run_tests/performance/run_qps_driver.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ set -ex
 
 cd "$(dirname "$0")/../../.."
 
-bins/opt/qps_json_driver "$@"
+cmake/build/qps_json_driver "$@"
 
 if [ "$BQ_RESULT_TABLE" != "" ]
 then
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/performance/scenario_config.py b/tools/run_tests/performance/scenario_config.py
index 83b555f7666..481918c52e4 100644
--- a/tools/run_tests/performance/scenario_config.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/performance/scenario_config.py
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ class CXXLanguage:
         self.safename = 'cxx'
 
     def worker_cmdline(self):
-        return ['bins/opt/qps_worker']
+        return ['cmake/build/qps_worker']
 
     def worker_port_offset(self):
         return 0
diff --git a/tools/run_tests/run_performance_tests.py b/tools/run_tests/run_performance_tests.py
index 33259e93485..c6e67eaf563 100755
--- a/tools/run_tests/run_performance_tests.py
+++ b/tools/run_tests/run_performance_tests.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ def create_scenario_jobspec(scenario_json,
 def create_quit_jobspec(workers, remote_host=None):
     """Runs quit using QPS driver."""
     # setting QPS_WORKERS env variable here makes sure it works with SSH too.
-    cmd = 'QPS_WORKERS="%s" bins/opt/qps_json_driver --quit' % ','.join(
+    cmd = 'QPS_WORKERS="%s" cmake/build/qps_json_driver --quit' % ','.join(
         w.host_and_port for w in workers)
     if remote_host:
         user_at_host = '%s@%s' % (_REMOTE_HOST_USERNAME, remote_host)