diff --git a/package/kvm-unit-tests/Config.in b/package/kvm-unit-tests/Config.in
index f77189601d..d72c734e78 100644
--- a/package/kvm-unit-tests/Config.in
+++ b/package/kvm-unit-tests/Config.in
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 config BR2_PACKAGE_KVM_UNIT_TESTS
 	bool "kvm-unit-tests"
+	select BR2_HOSTARCH_NEEDS_IA32_COMPILER if BR2_x86_64=y
 	depends on BR2_arm || BR2_i386 || BR2_powerpc64 || \
 		BR2_powerpc64le || BR2_x86_64
 	help
diff --git a/package/kvm-unit-tests/kvm-unit-tests.mk b/package/kvm-unit-tests/kvm-unit-tests.mk
index 7fd03add7d..1ace2e721a 100644
--- a/package/kvm-unit-tests/kvm-unit-tests.mk
+++ b/package/kvm-unit-tests/kvm-unit-tests.mk
@@ -28,9 +28,16 @@ endif
 
 KVM_UNIT_TESTS_CONF_OPTS =\
 	--arch="$(KERNEL_ARCH)" \
-	--cross-prefix="$(TARGET_CROSS)" \
 	--endian="$(KVM_UNIT_TESTS_ENDIAN)"
 
+# For all architectures but x86-64, we use the target
+# compiler. However, for x86-64, we use the host compiler, as
+# kvm-unit-tests builds 32 bit code, which Buildroot toolchains for
+# x86-64 cannot do.
+ifneq ($(BR2_x86_64),y)
+KVM_UNIT_TESTS_CONF_OPTS += --cross-prefix="$(TARGET_CROSS)"
+endif
+
 define KVM_UNIT_TESTS_CONFIGURE_CMDS
 	cd $(@D) && ./configure $(KVM_UNIT_TESTS_CONF_OPTS)
 endef