diff --git a/pkgs/kernel/default.nix b/pkgs/kernel/default.nix
index b6eb19fb0..3929d63be 100644
--- a/pkgs/kernel/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/kernel/default.nix
@@ -11,12 +11,7 @@
 let
   writeConfig = import ./write-kconfig.nix { inherit lib writeText; };
   kconfigFile = writeConfig "kconfig" config;
-  arch = if stdenv.isMips
-         then "mips"
-         else if stdenv.isAarch64
-         then "arm64"
-         else throw "unknown arch";
-
+  arch = stdenv.hostPlatform.linuxArch;
   inherit lib; in
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "kernel";