diff --git a/package/erlang/Config.in b/package/erlang/Config.in
index 96af5516fd..bf745555e8 100644
--- a/package/erlang/Config.in
+++ b/package/erlang/Config.in
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
+config BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_ERLANG_ARCH_SUPPORTS
+	bool
+	default y if BR2_HOSTARCH = "x86_64"
+	default y if BR2_HOSTARCH = "x86"
+
 config BR2_PACKAGE_ERLANG_ARCH_SUPPORTS
 	bool
 	# see HOWTO/INSTALL.md for Erlang's supported platforms
 	# when using its native atomic ops implementation
 	default y if BR2_i386 || BR2_x86_64 || BR2_powerpc || \
 		BR2_sparc_v9 || BR2_arm || BR2_aarch64 || BR2_mipsel
+	# erlang needs host-erlang
+	depends on BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_ERLANG_ARCH_SUPPORTS
 
 comment "erlang needs a toolchain w/ dynamic library"
 	depends on BR2_USE_MMU # fork()