diff --git a/configure b/configure
index fa4fc77e0491ef588f05cea85bc54ecb7cecb5b6..64edd5b0f237d4bb3fe5c76a04fdcf5fb5ab230c 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ TMPSDLLOG="${TMPDIR1}/qemu-conf-sdl-$$-${RANDOM}.log"
 trap "rm -f $TMPC $TMPO $TMPE $TMPS $TMPI $TMPSDLLOG; exit" 0 2 3 15
 
 # default parameters
+cpu=""
 prefix=""
 interp_prefix="/usr/gnemul/qemu-%M"
 static="no"
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --cc=*) cc="$optarg"
   ;;
+  --cpu=*) cpu="$optarg"
+  ;;
   esac
 done
 
@@ -78,7 +81,10 @@ EOF
   $cc $CFLAGS -c -o $TMPO $TMPC > /dev/null 2> /dev/null
 }
 
-if check_define __i386__ ; then
+if test ! -z "$cpu" ; then
+  # command line argument
+  :
+elif check_define __i386__ ; then
   cpu="i386"
 elif check_define __x86_64__ ; then
   cpu="x86_64"
@@ -386,7 +392,7 @@ for opt do
   ;;
   --extra-ldflags=*) EXTRA_LDFLAGS="$optarg"
   ;;
-  --cpu=*) cpu="$optarg"
+  --cpu=*)
   ;;
   --target-list=*) target_list="$optarg"
   ;;