diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 0fc7225eb..a7c3fa296 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ linux (3.11.6-2) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
 
   * [sh4] Reduce compiler version to gcc-4.7, as gcc-4.8 is not yet
     available
+  * [ia64] Reduce compiler version to gcc-4.6, matching gcc-defaults
+    (fixes FTBFS)
 
  -- Ben Hutchings <ben@decadent.org.uk>  Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:36:09 +0000
 
diff --git a/debian/config/ia64/defines b/debian/config/ia64/defines
index d699fa398..34b4ae73f 100644
--- a/debian/config/ia64/defines
+++ b/debian/config/ia64/defines
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ flavours:
  itanium
  mckinley
 kernel-arch: ia64
+compiler: gcc-4.6
 
 [image]
 bootloaders: elilo