diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fc20ac7f63..2398dda084 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -158,6 +158,10 @@ if (APPLE)
 	set(SharedDefines "MACOS_X")
 endif()
 
+if (NOT WIN32 AND NOT APPLE)
+	set(SharedDefines "ARCH_STRING=\"${Architecture}\"")
+endif()
+
 # Compiler settings
 if(MSVC)
 
diff --git a/code/qcommon/q_platform.h b/code/qcommon/q_platform.h
index b44790ab4d..fb1d83e296 100644
--- a/code/qcommon/q_platform.h
+++ b/code/qcommon/q_platform.h
@@ -131,36 +131,12 @@ along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 	#define PATH_SEP '/'
 
+	#if !defined(ARCH_STRING)
+		#error ARCH_STRING should be defined by the build system
+	#endif
 
-	#if defined(__i386__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "i386"
-	#elif defined(__x86_64__)
+	#if defined(__x86_64__)
 		#define idx64
-		#define ARCH_STRING "x86_64"
-	#elif defined(__powerpc64__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "ppc64"
-	#elif defined(__powerpc__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "ppc"
-	#elif defined(__s390__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "s390"
-	#elif defined(__s390x__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "s390x"
-	#elif defined(__ia64__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "ia64"
-	#elif defined(__alpha__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "alpha"
-	#elif defined(__sparc__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "sparc"
-	#elif defined(__arm__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "arm"
-	#elif defined(__cris__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "cris"
-	#elif defined(__hppa__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "hppa"
-	#elif defined(__mips__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "mips"
-	#elif defined(__sh__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "sh"
 	#endif
 
 	#if __FLOAT_WORD_ORDER == __BIG_ENDIAN
@@ -191,16 +167,15 @@ along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 	
 	#define QINLINE inline
 	#define PATH_SEP '/'
-	
-	#if defined(__i386__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "i386"
-	#elif defined(__amd64__)
+
+	#if !defined(ARCH_STRING)
+		#error ARCH_STRING should be defined by the build system
+	#endif
+
+	#if defined(__amd64__)
 		#define idx64
-		#define ARCH_STRING "amd64"
-	#elif defined(__axp__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "alpha"
 	#endif
-	
+
 	#if BYTE_ORDER == BIG_ENDIAN
 		#define Q3_BIG_ENDIAN
 	#else
diff --git a/codemp/qcommon/q_platform.h b/codemp/qcommon/q_platform.h
index 863a2a6e5a..93632340be 100644
--- a/codemp/qcommon/q_platform.h
+++ b/codemp/qcommon/q_platform.h
@@ -131,36 +131,12 @@ along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 	#define PATH_SEP '/'
 
+	#if !defined(ARCH_STRING)
+		#error ARCH_STRING should be defined by the build system
+	#endif
 
-	#if defined(__i386__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "i386"
-	#elif defined(__x86_64__)
+	#if defined(__x86_64__)
 		#define idx64
-		#define ARCH_STRING "x86_64"
-	#elif defined(__powerpc64__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "ppc64"
-	#elif defined(__powerpc__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "ppc"
-	#elif defined(__s390__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "s390"
-	#elif defined(__s390x__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "s390x"
-	#elif defined(__ia64__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "ia64"
-	#elif defined(__alpha__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "alpha"
-	#elif defined(__sparc__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "sparc"
-	#elif defined(__arm__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "arm"
-	#elif defined(__cris__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "cris"
-	#elif defined(__hppa__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "hppa"
-	#elif defined(__mips__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "mips"
-	#elif defined(__sh__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "sh"
 	#endif
 
 	#if __FLOAT_WORD_ORDER == __BIG_ENDIAN
@@ -192,13 +168,12 @@ along with this program; if not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 	#define QINLINE inline
 	#define PATH_SEP '/'
 
-	#if defined(__i386__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "i386"
-	#elif defined(__amd64__)
+	#if !defined(ARCH_STRING)
+		#error ARCH_STRING should be defined by the build system
+	#endif
+
+	#if defined(__amd64__)
 		#define idx64
-		#define ARCH_STRING "amd64"
-	#elif defined(__axp__)
-		#define ARCH_STRING "alpha"
 	#endif
 
 	#if BYTE_ORDER == BIG_ENDIAN