diff --git a/arch/mips/Makefile b/arch/mips/Makefile
index dd6486097e1d..6468f1eb39f3 100644
--- a/arch/mips/Makefile
+++ b/arch/mips/Makefile
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ drivers-$(CONFIG_PCI)		+= arch/mips/pci/
 ifdef CONFIG_64BIT
   ifndef KBUILD_SYM32
     ifeq ($(shell expr $(load-y) \< 0xffffffff80000000), 0)
-      KBUILD_SYM32 = y
+      KBUILD_SYM32 = $(call cc-option-yn, -msym32)
     endif
   endif