diff --git a/arch/arm/Makefile b/arch/arm/Makefile
index 8a8ef40eac9..fea5aad2899 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/Makefile
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@ cflags-$(CONFIG_LTO) += $(call cc-option,-flto,)
 KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(cflags-y)
 KBUILD_CXXFLAGS += $(cflags-y)
 
+ifeq ($(CONFIG_CPU_CORTEX_M3),y)
+arch-cflags += $(call cc-option, -mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m3)
+else ifeq ($(CONFIG_CPU_CORTEX_M4),y)
+arch-cflags += $(call cc-option, -mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m4)
+endif
+
 QEMU_CPU_TYPE_arm = cortex-m3
 QEMU_FLAGS_arm = -cpu  $(QEMU_CPU_TYPE_arm) \
 		-machine lm3s6965evb -nographic
diff --git a/arch/arm/soc/atmel_sam3/Makefile b/arch/arm/soc/atmel_sam3/Makefile
index e7d49489052..494d173d025 100644
--- a/arch/arm/soc/atmel_sam3/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/soc/atmel_sam3/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 
-arch-cflags += $(call cc-option,-mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m3) \
-		$(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7-m)
+arch-cflags += $(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7-m)
 
 KBUILD_AFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)
 KBUILD_CXXFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)
diff --git a/arch/arm/soc/fsl_frdm_k64f/Makefile b/arch/arm/soc/fsl_frdm_k64f/Makefile
index 5ebdf2eba72..f4580b66072 100644
--- a/arch/arm/soc/fsl_frdm_k64f/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/soc/fsl_frdm_k64f/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
 
-
-arch-cflags = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m4) \
-			$(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7e-m)
+arch-cflags = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7e-m)
 
 KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)
 KBUILD_CXXFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)
diff --git a/arch/arm/soc/ti_lm3s6965/Makefile b/arch/arm/soc/ti_lm3s6965/Makefile
index 670a9815b22..bfb20a7a1e0 100644
--- a/arch/arm/soc/ti_lm3s6965/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/soc/ti_lm3s6965/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 
-arch-cflags  = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m3) \
-		$(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7-m)
+arch-cflags  = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7-m)
 
 KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)
 KBUILD_CXXFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)