diff --git a/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/cuda_gdb.py b/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/cuda_gdb.py
index fdff4c0986..5a0efb20c6 100644
--- a/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/cuda_gdb.py
+++ b/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/cuda_gdb.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def __init__(self):
                                     '-fopenmp']
         nvidia_sm = '37' if self.current_system.name == 'kesch' else '60'
         self.build_system.cxxflags = ['-g', '-G', '-arch=sm_%s' % nvidia_sm]
-        self.build_system.ldflags = ['-g', '-fopenmp']
+        self.build_system.ldflags = ['-g', '-fopenmp', '-lstdc++']
 
         # FIXME: workaround until the kesch programming environment is fixed
         if self.current_system.name == 'kesch':
diff --git a/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/nvprof.py b/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/nvprof.py
index 412e56507e..927945ad48 100644
--- a/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/nvprof.py
+++ b/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/nvprof.py
@@ -14,23 +14,23 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.num_tasks_per_node = 1
         self.sourcesdir = 'src/Cuda'
         self.executable = 'nvprof'
-        self.executable_opts = ['./nvprof_check']
+        self.target_executable = './jacobi'
+        self.executable_opts = [self.target_executable]
         self.sanity_patterns = sn.all([
-            sn.assert_found('Profiling application: ./nvprof_check',
-                            self.stderr),
+            sn.assert_found('Profiling application: %s' %
+                            self.target_executable, self.stderr),
             sn.assert_found('[CUDA memcpy HtoD]', self.stderr),
             sn.assert_found('[CUDA memcpy DtoH]', self.stderr),
             sn.assert_found(r'\s+100(\s+\S+){3}\s+jacobi_kernel', self.stderr)
         ])
 
         self.build_system = 'Make'
-        self.build_system.makefile = 'Makefile_nvprof'
         self.build_system.cflags = [
             '-g', '-D_CSCS_ITMAX=100', '-DOMP_MEMLOCALITY', '-DUSE_MPI',
             '-DEVS_PER_NODE=1', '-fopenmp', '-std=c99'
         ]
         self.build_system.cxxflags = ['-g', '-G']
-        self.build_system.ldflags = ['-g', '-fopenmp', '-std=c99']
+        self.build_system.ldflags = ['-g', '-fopenmp', '-std=c99', '-lstdc++']
 
         # FIXME temporary workaround
         # the programming environment should be adapted / fixed
diff --git a/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/src/Cuda/Makefile_nvprof b/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/src/Cuda/Makefile_nvprof
deleted file mode 100644
index 946125a0a1..0000000000
--- a/cscs-checks/tools/profiling_and_debugging/src/Cuda/Makefile_nvprof
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-LD = $(CC)
-
-OBJ            = _jacobi-cuda-kernel.o _jacobi-cuda.o
-LIB            = 
-
-.SUFFIXES: .o .cu
-
-%.o: %.cu
-	nvcc $(CXXFLAGS) $(DDTFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
-
-.SUFFIXES: .o .c
-
-%.o: %.c
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(DDTFLAGS) -c $< -o $@
-
-nvprof_check: $(OBJ)
-	$(LD) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJ) $(LIB) -o $@
-
-clean:
-	rm -f *.o *.mod nvprof_check
-	rm -fr *.ptx *.opt *.cg *.ap2 *.rpt *.cub *.lst *.xf