diff --git a/xbps-src b/xbps-src
index f5d5ed4b23c..cc4df1e330a 100755
--- a/xbps-src
+++ b/xbps-src
@@ -454,6 +454,9 @@ fi
 if [ -n "$XBPS_ARCH" ]; then
     export XBPS_MACHINE=$XBPS_ARCH
 fi
+if [ -z "$XBPS_TARGET_MACHINE" ]; then
+    export XBPS_TARGET_MACHINE=${XBPS_ARCH:=$XBPS_MACHINE}
+fi
 
 export XBPS_SHUTILSDIR XBPS_CROSSPFDIR XBPS_TRIGGERSDIR \
     XBPS_SRCPKGDIR XBPS_COMMONDIR XBPS_BUILDDIR XBPS_REPO_DELTAS \