diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index badd3e9d7..6249fd44a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -64,6 +64,10 @@ TARGET ?= prod
 GIT_VERSION ?= $(shell git describe --abbrev=6 --always --tags)
 NIM_PARAMS := $(NIM_PARAMS) -d:git_version=\"$(GIT_VERSION)\"
 
+## Pass CPU architecture to C compiler, use basic x86-64 instruction set by default
+ARCHITECTURE ?= "x86-64"
+NIM_PARAMS := $(NIM_PARAMS) --passC:\"-march=$(ARCHITECTURE)\"
+
 ## Heaptracker options
 HEAPTRACKER ?= 0
 HEAPTRACKER_INJECT ?= 0