diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 16a7e00e..03101d2a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ endif
 
 ifneq (,$(findstring "$(PLATFORM)", "linux" "gnu_kfreebsd" "kfreebsd-gnu" "gnu"))
   WARNINGS_CFLAGS = -Wall -fno-strict-aliasing -Wimplicit -Wstrict-prototypes
-  BASE_CFLAGS = -pipe -DUSE_ICON -DARCH_STRING=\\\"$(ARCH)\\\"
+  BASE_CFLAGS = -pipe -DUSE_ICON
   CLIENT_CFLAGS += $(SDL_CFLAGS)
 
   OPTIMIZEVM = -O3
diff --git a/code/qcommon/q_platform.h b/code/qcommon/q_platform.h
index 53a53264..38ba7d61 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/q_platform.h
+++ b/code/qcommon/q_platform.h
@@ -186,8 +186,22 @@ Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
 
 #define PATH_SEP '/'
 
-#if !defined(ARCH_STRING)
-# error ARCH_STRING should be defined by the Makefile
+#if defined(__x86_64__) || defined(__amd64__)
+# define ARCH_STRING "x86_64"
+#elif defined(__i386__)
+# define ARCH_STRING "x86"
+#elif defined(__aarch64__)
+# define ARCH_STRING "arm64"
+#elif defined(__arm__)
+# define ARCH_STRING "arm"
+#elif defined(__powerpc64__) || defined(__ppc64__)
+# define ARCH_STRING "ppc64"
+#elif defined(__powerpc__) || defined(__ppc__)
+# define ARCH_STRING "ppc"
+#elif defined(__alpha__)
+# define ARCH_STRING "alpha"
+#else
+# error Unknown or unsupported architecture
 #endif
 
 #if defined __x86_64__