diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 1617ab517819..68982ba7bc2f 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -874,6 +874,9 @@ ifeq ($(CONFIG_STRIP_ASM_SYMS),y)
 LDFLAGS_vmlinux	+= $(call ld-option, -X,)
 endif
 
+# insure the checker run with the right endianness
+CHECKFLAGS += $(if $(CONFIG_CPU_BIG_ENDIAN),-mbig-endian,-mlittle-endian)
+
 # Default kernel image to build when no specific target is given.
 # KBUILD_IMAGE may be overruled on the command line or
 # set in the environment
diff --git a/arch/openrisc/Makefile b/arch/openrisc/Makefile
index cf8802962864..89076a66eee2 100644
--- a/arch/openrisc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/openrisc/Makefile
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ LDFLAGS_vmlinux :=
 LIBGCC 		:= $(shell $(CC) $(KBUILD_CFLAGS) -print-libgcc-file-name)
 
 KBUILD_CFLAGS	+= -pipe -ffixed-r10 -D__linux__
-CHECKFLAGS	+= -mbig-endian
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_OPENRISC_HAVE_INST_MUL),y)
 	KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(call cc-option,-mhard-mul)
diff --git a/arch/parisc/Makefile b/arch/parisc/Makefile
index 34ac503e28ad..348ae4779f32 100644
--- a/arch/parisc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/parisc/Makefile
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ KBUILD_IMAGE := vmlinuz
 KBUILD_DEFCONFIG := default_defconfig
 
 NM		= sh $(srctree)/arch/parisc/nm
-CHECKFLAGS	+= -D__hppa__=1 -mbig-endian
+CHECKFLAGS	+= -D__hppa__=1
 LIBGCC		= $(shell $(CC) $(KBUILD_CFLAGS) -print-libgcc-file-name)
 export LIBGCC
 
diff --git a/arch/s390/Makefile b/arch/s390/Makefile
index c79936d02f7b..68a690442be0 100644
--- a/arch/s390/Makefile
+++ b/arch/s390/Makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ KBUILD_CFLAGS	+= -m64
 KBUILD_AFLAGS	+= -m64
 UTS_MACHINE	:= s390x
 STACK_SIZE	:= 16384
-CHECKFLAGS	+= -D__s390__ -D__s390x__ -mbig-endian
+CHECKFLAGS	+= -D__s390__ -D__s390x__
 
 export LD_BFD