diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d711ca1dd90580e50ef8183c4ca67e069b2bc45b..c002349e887687d7d0b108d3682402de7c5329e8 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ execute_process(
     OUTPUT_VARIABLE PY_PLATFORM_ARCH
     OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE
     )
+if( NOT PY_PLATFORM_ARCH )
+    set(PY_PLATFORM_ARCH "linux-x86_64" )
+endif( )
 message(STATUS "Building bdist for arch - ${PY_PLATFORM_ARCH}")