diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2a4729024dfb..8816060cdf40 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ CROSS_COMPILE	?=
 UTS_MACHINE 	:= $(ARCH)
 SRCARCH 	:= $(ARCH)
 
+# for i386 and x86_64 we use SRCARCH equal to x86
+SRCARCH := $(if $(filter x86_64 i386,$(SRCARCH)),x86,$(SRCARCH))
+
 KCONFIG_CONFIG	?= .config
 
 # SHELL used by kbuild
@@ -418,7 +421,7 @@ ifeq ($(config-targets),1)
 # Read arch specific Makefile to set KBUILD_DEFCONFIG as needed.
 # KBUILD_DEFCONFIG may point out an alternative default configuration
 # used for 'make defconfig'
-include $(srctree)/arch/$(ARCH)/Makefile
+include $(srctree)/arch/$(SRCARCH)/Makefile
 export KBUILD_DEFCONFIG
 
 config %config: scripts_basic outputmakefile FORCE
@@ -497,7 +500,7 @@ else
 KBUILD_CFLAGS	+= -O2
 endif
 
-include $(srctree)/arch/$(ARCH)/Makefile
+include $(srctree)/arch/$(SRCARCH)/Makefile
 
 ifdef CONFIG_FRAME_POINTER
 KBUILD_CFLAGS	+= -fno-omit-frame-pointer -fno-optimize-sibling-calls
diff --git a/arch/x86/Makefile b/arch/x86/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..65077d79c846
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/x86/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Unified Makefile for i386 and x86_64
+
+# No need to remake these files
+$(srctree)/arch/x86/Makefile%: ;
+
+ifeq ($(ARCH),i386)
+        include $(srctree)/arch/x86/Makefile_32
+else
+        include $(srctree)/arch/x86/Makefile_64
+endif
+
+
+
diff --git a/arch/i386/Makefile b/arch/x86/Makefile_32
similarity index 98%
rename from arch/i386/Makefile
rename to arch/x86/Makefile_32
index f5b9a37def8b..346ac0766875 100644
--- a/arch/i386/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/Makefile_32
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-# i386/Makefile
+# i386 Makefile
 #
 # This file is included by the global makefile so that you can add your own
 # architecture-specific flags and dependencies. Remember to do have actions
@@ -17,9 +17,6 @@
 # 20050320  Kianusch Sayah Karadji <kianusch@sk-tech.net>
 #           Added support for GEODE CPU
 
-# Fill in SRCARCH
-SRCARCH	:= x86
-
 # BITS is used as extension for files which are available in a 32 bit
 # and a 64 bit version to simplify shared Makefiles.
 # e.g.: obj-y += foo_$(BITS).o
@@ -46,7 +43,7 @@ KBUILD_CFLAGS += -pipe -msoft-float -mregparm=3 -freg-struct-return
 KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(call cc-option,-mpreferred-stack-boundary=2)
 
 # CPU-specific tuning. Anything which can be shared with UML should go here.
-include $(srctree)/arch/i386/Makefile.cpu
+include $(srctree)/arch/x86/Makefile_32.cpu
 
 # temporary until string.h is fixed
 cflags-y += -ffreestanding
diff --git a/arch/i386/Makefile.cpu b/arch/x86/Makefile_32.cpu
similarity index 100%
rename from arch/i386/Makefile.cpu
rename to arch/x86/Makefile_32.cpu
diff --git a/arch/x86_64/Makefile b/arch/x86/Makefile_64
similarity index 99%
rename from arch/x86_64/Makefile
rename to arch/x86/Makefile_64
index 20eb69bd5a6d..57e714a47af7 100644
--- a/arch/x86_64/Makefile
+++ b/arch/x86/Makefile_64
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #
-# x86_64/Makefile
+# x86_64 Makefile
 #
 # This file is included by the global makefile so that you can add your own
 # architecture-specific flags and dependencies. Remember to do have actions
@@ -21,9 +21,6 @@
 #
 # $Id: Makefile,v 1.31 2002/03/22 15:56:07 ak Exp $
 
-# Fill in SRCARCH
-SRCARCH	:= x86
-
 # BITS is used as extension for files which are available in a 32 bit
 # and a 64 bit version to simplify shared Makefiles.
 # e.g.: obj-y += foo_$(BITS).o