diff --git a/package/qemu/qemu.mk b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
index 1bcffc2340..290186ec4e 100644
--- a/package/qemu/qemu.mk
+++ b/package/qemu/qemu.mk
@@ -277,6 +277,9 @@ HOST_QEMU_DEPENDENCIES = host-meson host-pkgconf host-zlib host-libglib2 host-pi
 #       xtensa          xtensa
 
 HOST_QEMU_ARCH = $(ARCH)
+ifeq ($(HOST_QEMU_ARCH),armeb)
+HOST_QEMU_SYS_ARCH = arm
+endif
 ifeq ($(HOST_QEMU_ARCH),i486)
 HOST_QEMU_ARCH = i386
 endif