diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abi.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abi.cpp
index 90a27134a51..a12e531859c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abi.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/abi.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,27 @@ namespace ProjectExplorer {
 // Helpers
 // --------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+static Abi::Architecture architectureFromQt()
+{
+    const QString arch = QSysInfo::buildCpuArchitecture();
+    if (arch.startsWith("arm"))
+        return Abi::ArmArchitecture;
+    if (arch.startsWith("x86") || arch == "i386")
+        return Abi::X86Architecture;
+    if (arch == "ia64")
+        return Abi::ItaniumArchitecture;
+    if (arch.startsWith("mips"))
+        return Abi::MipsArchitecture;
+    if (arch.startsWith("power"))
+        return Abi::PowerPCArchitecture;
+    if (arch.startsWith("sh")) // Not in Qt documentation!
+        return Abi::ShArchitecture;
+    if (arch.startsWith("avr")) // Not in Qt documentation!
+        return Abi::AvrArchitecture;
+
+    return Abi::UnknownArchitecture;
+}
+
 static quint8 getUint8(const QByteArray &data, int pos)
 {
     return static_cast<quint8>(data.at(pos));
@@ -838,7 +859,7 @@ Abi::OSFlavor Abi::flavorForMsvcVersion(int version)
 
 Abi Abi::hostAbi()
 {
-    Architecture arch = QTC_CPU; // define set by qmake
+    Architecture arch = architectureFromQt();
     OS os = UnknownOS;
     OSFlavor subos = UnknownFlavor;
     BinaryFormat format = UnknownFormat;
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.pro b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.pro
index 979a3e865d8..faf97955e67 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.pro
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.pro
@@ -332,11 +332,4 @@ journald {
 
 RESOURCES += projectexplorer.qrc
 
-# Some way to override the architecture used in Abi:
-!isEmpty($$(QTC_CPU)) {
-    DEFINES += QTC_CPU=$$(QTC_CPU)
-} else {
-    DEFINES += QTC_CPU=X86Architecture
-}
-
 DEFINES += PROJECTEXPLORER_LIBRARY
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.qbs b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.qbs
index 2b643f69a76..5bb71972047 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.qbs
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.qbs
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ Project {
         Depends { name: "TextEditor" }
         Depends { name: "app_version_header" }
 
-        cpp.defines: base.concat("QTC_CPU=X86Architecture")
-
         Group {
             name: "General"
             files: [