--- a/cpu/mips/config.mk
+++ b/cpu/mips/config.mk
@@ -23,16 +23,18 @@
 v=$(shell $(AS) --version | grep 'GNU assembler' | egrep -o '2\.[0-9\.]+' | cut -d. -f2)
 MIPSFLAGS:=$(shell \
 if [ "$v" -lt "14" ]; then \
-	echo "-mcpu=4kc"; \
+	echo "-mcpu=mips32"; \
 else \
-	echo "-march=4kc -mtune=4kc"; \
+	echo "-mips32 -march=mips32 -mtune=mips32"; \
 fi)
 
+ifndef ENDIANNESS
 ifneq (,$(findstring 4KCle,$(CROSS_COMPILE)))
 ENDIANNESS = -EL
 else
 ENDIANNESS = -EB
 endif
+endif
 
 MIPSFLAGS += $(ENDIANNESS)
 
