diff --git a/arch/x86/Kconfig b/arch/x86/Kconfig
index 46c3bff..9084c7b 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/Kconfig
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Select 32 or 64 bit
 config 64BIT
 	bool "64-bit kernel" if ARCH = "x86"
-	default ARCH = "x86_64"
+	default ARCH != "i386"
 	---help---
 	  Say yes to build a 64-bit kernel - formerly known as x86_64
 	  Say no to build a 32-bit kernel - formerly known as i386
diff --git a/arch/x86/Makefile b/arch/x86/Makefile
index 05afcca..fa981ca 100644
--- a/arch/x86/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
 
 # select defconfig based on actual architecture
 ifeq ($(ARCH),x86)
+  ifeq ($(shell uname -m),x86_64)
+        KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := x86_64_defconfig
+  else
         KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := i386_defconfig
+  endif
 else
         KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := $(ARCH)_defconfig
 endif
diff --git a/arch/x86/configs/i386_defconfig b/arch/x86/configs/i386_defconfig
index 5598547..9444708 100644
--- a/arch/x86/configs/i386_defconfig
+++ b/arch/x86/configs/i386_defconfig
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# CONFIG_64BIT is not set
 CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL=y
 # CONFIG_LOCALVERSION_AUTO is not set
 CONFIG_SYSVIPC=y