diff --git a/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk b/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk
index 73b1c046dc..2e179f6edd 100644
--- a/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk
+++ b/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk
@@ -29,26 +29,6 @@
 # include defines, and compiler settings for the given architecture
 # version.
 #
-ifeq ($(strip $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT)),)
-TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT := generic
-endif
-
-KNOWN_ARMv8_CORES := cortex-a53 cortex-a53.a57 cortex-a73
-KNOWN_ARMv8_CORES += kryo denver64 exynos-m1 exynos-m2
-
-# Many devices (incorrectly) use armv7-a-neon as the 2nd architecture variant
-# for cores that implement armv8-a ISAs. The following sets it to armv8-a.
-ifneq (,$(filter $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT), $(KNOWN_ARMv8_CORES)))
-  ifneq ($(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT),armv8-a)
-    $(warning $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT) is armv8-a.)
-    ifneq (,$(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT))
-      $(warning TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT, $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT), ignored! Use armv8-a instead.)
-    endif
-    # Overwrite TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT
-    TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT := armv8-a
-  endif
-endif
-
 ifeq ($(strip $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT)),)
 TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT := armv5te
 endif
diff --git a/core/combo/arch/arm/armv8-a.mk b/core/combo/arch/arm/armv8-a.mk
deleted file mode 100644
index 9ef5c4944e..0000000000
--- a/core/combo/arch/arm/armv8-a.mk
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-# Configuration for Linux on ARM.
-# Generating binaries for the ARMv8-a architecture
-#
-# Many libraries are not aware of armv8-a, and AArch32 is (almost) a superset
-# of armv7-a-neon. So just let them think we are just like v7.
-ARCH_ARM_HAVE_ARMV7A            := true
-ARCH_ARM_HAVE_VFP               := true
-ARCH_ARM_HAVE_VFP_D32           := true
-ARCH_ARM_HAVE_NEON              := true
diff --git a/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk b/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk
index 3420ed3c8c..ea4b05ba14 100644
--- a/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk
+++ b/target/board/generic_arm64/BoardConfig.mk
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ ifneq ($(TARGET_BUILD_APPS)$(filter cts,$(MAKECMDGOALS)),)
 # platforms.
 #
 # If you're building a 64 bit platform (and not an application) the
-# ARM-v8 specification allows you to assume all the features available in an
-# armv7-a-neon CPU. You should set the following as 2nd arch/cpu variant:
+# ARM-v8 specification allows you to assume NEON and all the features
+# available in a cortex-A15 CPU. You should be able to set :
 #
-# TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VARIANT := armv8-a
-# TARGET_2ND_CPU_VARIANT := generic
+# TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VARIANT := armv7-a-neon
+# TARGET_2ND_CPU_VARIANT := cortex-a15
 #
 # DO NOT USE
 # DO NOT USE
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ TARGET_2ND_CPU_VARIANT := generic
 # DO NOT USE
 # DO NOT USE
 else
-TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VARIANT := armv8-a
-TARGET_2ND_CPU_VARIANT := generic
+TARGET_2ND_ARCH_VARIANT := armv7-a-neon
+TARGET_2ND_CPU_VARIANT := cortex-a15
 endif