diff --git a/config.nims b/config.nims
index 6a7f381bf..ec8e23b8f 100644
--- a/config.nims
+++ b/config.nims
@@ -69,11 +69,16 @@ if defined(windows):
 # engineering a more portable binary release, this should be tweaked but still
 # use at least -msse2 or -msse3.
 #
+# https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/blob/stable/docs/cpu_features.md#ssse3-supplemental-sse3
+# suggests that SHA256 hashing with SSSE3 is 20% faster than without SSSE3, so
+# given its near-ubiquity in the x86 installed base, it renders a distribution
+# build more viable on an overall broader range of hardware.
+#
 # Apple's Clang can't handle "-march=native" on M1: https://github.com/status-im/nimbus-eth2/issues/2758
 if defined(disableMarchNative) or (defined(macosx) and defined(arm64)):
   if defined(i386) or defined(amd64):
-    switch("passC", "-msse3")
-    switch("passL", "-msse3")
+    switch("passC", "-mssse3")
+    switch("passL", "-mssse3")
 else:
   switch("passC", "-march=native")
   switch("passL", "-march=native")