diff --git a/arch/arm/Makefile b/arch/arm/Makefile
index fea5aad2899..8a8ef40eac9 100644
--- a/arch/arm/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/Makefile
@@ -7,12 +7,6 @@ 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 494d173d025..e7d49489052 100644
--- a/arch/arm/soc/atmel_sam3/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/soc/atmel_sam3/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 
-arch-cflags += $(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7-m)
+arch-cflags += $(call cc-option,-mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m3) \
+		$(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 f4580b66072..5ebdf2eba72 100644
--- a/arch/arm/soc/fsl_frdm_k64f/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/soc/fsl_frdm_k64f/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 
-arch-cflags = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7e-m)
+
+arch-cflags = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m4) \
+			$(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 bfb20a7a1e0..670a9815b22 100644
--- a/arch/arm/soc/ti_lm3s6965/Makefile
+++ b/arch/arm/soc/ti_lm3s6965/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 
-arch-cflags  = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7-m)
+arch-cflags  = $(call cc-option,-mthumb -mcpu=cortex-m3) \
+		$(call cc-option,-mthumb -march=armv7-m)
 
 KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)
 KBUILD_CXXFLAGS += $(arch-cflags)