diff --git a/tools/build/Makefile b/tools/build/Makefile
index 3b49eb44475..742432872c4 100644
--- a/tools/build/Makefile
+++ b/tools/build/Makefile
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ _host_arch=${MACHINE}
 .if ${_host_arch} == "x86_64"
 # bmake on Linux/mac often prints that instead of amd64
 _host_arch=amd64
+.elif ${_host_arch:Mppc*}
+_host_arch=powerpc
 .endif
 .if ${_host_arch} == "unknown"
 # HACK: If MACHINE is unknown, assume we are building on x86