diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 561122815..d5c36b45a 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ AC_INIT([cyassl],[2.8.1],[https://github.com/cyassl/cyassl/issues],[cyassl],[htt
 
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
 
+# using $targget_cpu to only turn on fastmath by default on x86_64 
+AC_CANONICAL_TARGET
 AC_CANONICAL_HOST
 AC_CANONICAL_BUILD