diff --git a/configure/RULES.ioc b/configure/RULES.ioc
index 1024fcb22..da314a406 100644
--- a/configure/RULES.ioc
+++ b/configure/RULES.ioc
@@ -24,11 +24,15 @@ else
     clean$(DIVIDER)$(ARCH) clean:
 endif
 
-cdCommands envPaths dllPath.bat relPaths.sh: \
+cdCommands dllPath.bat relPaths.sh: \
     $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE*) \
-    $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE*) $(INSTALL_BIN)
+    $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE*) | $(INSTALL_BIN)
 	$(CONVERTRELEASE) -a $(ARCH) -t $(IOCS_APPL_TOP) $@
 
+envPaths: $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/RELEASE*) \
+    $(wildcard $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG_SITE*) | $(INSTALL_BIN)
+	$(CONVERTRELEASE) -t $(IOCS_APPL_TOP) $@
+
 realclean:
 	$(RM) cdCommands envPaths dllPath.bat relPaths.sh
 
diff --git a/src/ioc/misc/iocshRegisterCommon.c b/src/ioc/misc/iocshRegisterCommon.c
index 0341dfbd6..9e0936e2b 100644
--- a/src/ioc/misc/iocshRegisterCommon.c
+++ b/src/ioc/misc/iocshRegisterCommon.c
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 * in file LICENSE that is included with this distribution. 
 \*************************************************************************/
 
+#include "envDefs.h"
 #include "iocsh.h"
 #include "libComRegister.h"
 
@@ -24,6 +25,11 @@
 void iocshRegisterCommon(void)
 {
     iocshPpdbbase = &pdbbase;
+    const char *targetArch = envGetConfigParamPtr(&EPICS_TARGET_ARCH);
+
+    if (targetArch) {
+        epicsEnvSet("ARCH", targetArch);
+    }
 
     dbStaticIocRegister();
     registryIocRegister();
diff --git a/src/template/base/top/exampleBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common b/src/template/base/top/exampleBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common
index 64a3e8bf7..e064d7344 100644
--- a/src/template/base/top/exampleBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common
+++ b/src/template/base/top/exampleBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 TOP = ../..
 include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG
-ARCH = _ARCH_
 TARGETS = envPaths
 include $(TOP)/configure/RULES.ioc
diff --git a/src/template/base/top/iocBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common b/src/template/base/top/iocBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common
index 64a3e8bf7..e064d7344 100644
--- a/src/template/base/top/iocBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common
+++ b/src/template/base/top/iocBoot/ioc/Makefile@Common
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 TOP = ../..
 include $(TOP)/configure/CONFIG
-ARCH = _ARCH_
 TARGETS = envPaths
 include $(TOP)/configure/RULES.ioc
diff --git a/src/tools/convertRelease.pl b/src/tools/convertRelease.pl
index abf63c3ec..f4eb3f798 100644
--- a/src/tools/convertRelease.pl
+++ b/src/tools/convertRelease.pl
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ sub relPaths {
 }
 
 sub binDirs {
+    die "Architecture not set (use -a option)\n" unless ($arch);
     my @includes = grep !m/^ (RULES | TEMPLATE_TOP) $/x, @apps;
     my @path;
     foreach my $app (@includes) {
@@ -165,7 +166,6 @@ sub cdCommands {
     my $ioc = $cwd;
     $ioc =~ s/^.*\///;  # iocname is last component of directory name
     
-    print OUT "putenv(\"ARCH=$arch\")\n";
     print OUT "putenv(\"IOC=$ioc\")\n";
     
     foreach my $app (@includes) {
@@ -188,7 +188,6 @@ sub cdCommands {
 # Include parentheses anyway in case CEXP users want to use this.
 #
 sub envPaths {
-    die "Architecture not set (use -a option)" unless ($arch);
     my @includes = grep !m/^ (RULES | TEMPLATE_TOP) $/x, @apps;
     
     unlink($outfile);
@@ -197,7 +196,6 @@ sub envPaths {
     my $ioc = $cwd;
     $ioc =~ s/^.*\///;  # iocname is last component of directory name
     
-    print OUT "epicsEnvSet(\"ARCH\",\"$arch\")\n";
     print OUT "epicsEnvSet(\"IOC\",\"$ioc\")\n";
     
     foreach my $app (@includes) {