diff --git a/debian/rules.real b/debian/rules.real
index 22bf54112..7f19ed0a5 100644
--- a/debian/rules.real
+++ b/debian/rules.real
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ DEB_BUILD_ARCH    := $(shell dpkg-architecture -a'$(ARCH)' -qDEB_BUILD_ARCH)
 
 export PYTHONPATH = $(CURDIR)/debian/lib/python
 export DH_OPTIONS
-export DEB_HOST_ARCH
+export DEB_HOST_ARCH DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE DEB_BUILD_ARCH
 
 #
 # Build the list of common config files to be included
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ endif
 setup_env := env -u ABINAME -u ARCH -u SUBARCH -u FLAVOUR -u VERSION -u LOCALVERSION
 setup_makeflags =
 ifneq ($(DEB_BUILD_ARCH),$(DEB_HOST_ARCH))
-  setup_makeflags += CROSS_COMPILE=$(DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE)-
   kpkg_image += --cross-compile='$(DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE)'
 endif
 setup_env += MAKEFLAGS='$(setup_makeflags)'
@@ -138,8 +137,12 @@ define SETUP_DIR
 	cp -al '$(SOURCE_DIR)' '$(DIR)'
 	cp '$(CONFIG)' '$(DIR)/.config'
 	echo '$(ABINAME)$(LOCALVERSION)' > '$(DIR)/localversion'
+	echo 'ARCH = $(ARCH)' >> '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
 	echo 'CCACHE = ccache' >> '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
 	echo 'CC = $$(if $$(DEBIAN_KERNEL_USE_CCACHE),$$(CCACHE)) $$(CROSS_COMPILE)$(COMPILER)' >> '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
+	echo 'ifneq ($$(DEB_BUILD_ARCH),$$(DEB_HOST_ARCH))' >> '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
+	echo 'CROSS_COMPILE = $$(DEB_HOST_GNU_TYPE)-' >> '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
+	echo 'endif' >> '$(DIR)/.kernelvariables'
 endef
 
 $(STAMPS_DIR)/setup-$(ARCH)-$(SUBARCH)-$(FLAVOUR)-kernel-package: