diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_SITE b/configure/CONFIG_SITE
index fb76306e9..609f4b67c 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_SITE
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_SITE
@@ -171,3 +171,7 @@ GCC_PIPE = NO
 #       must be either YES or NO
 LINKER_USE_RPATH=YES
 
+# For linux-x86 target builds, tune GNU compiler for cpu-type
+# (e.g. generic, i386, i486, i586, or i686)
+GNU_TUNE_CFLAGS = -mtune=generic
+
diff --git a/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linux-x86 b/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linux-x86
index 755d2b5ec..22b9048e3 100644
--- a/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linux-x86
+++ b/configure/os/CONFIG.Common.linux-x86
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ include $(CONFIG)/os/CONFIG.Common.linuxCommon
 
 ARCH_CLASS = x86
 
-ARCH_DEP_CFLAGS = -mtune=generic
+ARCH_DEP_CFLAGS = $(GNU_TUNE_CFLAGS)
 ARCH_DEP_CPPFLAGS += -D_X86_
 
 OP_SYS_CFLAGS += -m32
diff --git a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86 b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86
index 981c133e8..d6e1f36be 100644
--- a/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86
+++ b/configure/os/CONFIG_SITE.Common.linux-x86
@@ -32,11 +32,5 @@ COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE
 # Needs -lcurses (older versions)
 #COMMANDLINE_LIBRARY = READLINE_CURSES
 
-# Optionally specify a specific machine type and/or cpu type.
-# Generate instructions for a specific machine type with -march=<cpu-type>
-# Tune for a specific cpu-type  with -mtune=<cpu-type>
-# Specifying -march=<cpu-type> implies -mtune=<cpu-type>.
-#ARCH_DEP_CFLAGS = -mtune=i686 -march=i686 
-
 OP_SYS_CFLAGS += -g