diff --git a/linux/Config.in b/linux/Config.in
index ce55271c9e..be6d0ccbce 100644
--- a/linux/Config.in
+++ b/linux/Config.in
@@ -142,6 +142,14 @@ choice
 config BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_DEFCONFIG
 	bool "Using an in-tree defconfig file"
 
+config BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_ARCH_DEFAULT_CONFIG
+	bool "Use the architecture default configuration"
+	help
+	  This option will use the default configuration for the
+	  selected architecture. I.e, it is equivalent to running
+	  "make ARCH=<foo> defconfig". This is useful on architectures
+	  that have a single defconfig file, such as ARM64.
+
 config BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_CONFIG
 	bool "Using a custom (def)config file"
 
diff --git a/linux/linux.mk b/linux/linux.mk
index a751da93b0..fb844ef7a8 100644
--- a/linux/linux.mk
+++ b/linux/linux.mk
@@ -206,6 +206,8 @@ LINUX_POST_PATCH_HOOKS += LINUX_TRY_PATCH_TIMECONST
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_DEFCONFIG),y)
 LINUX_KCONFIG_DEFCONFIG = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG))_defconfig
+else ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_ARCH_DEFAULT_CONFIG),y)
+LINUX_KCONFIG_DEFCONFIG = defconfig
 else ifeq ($(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_USE_CUSTOM_CONFIG),y)
 LINUX_KCONFIG_FILE = $(call qstrip,$(BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_CONFIG_FILE))
 endif