diff --git a/arch/openrisc/Makefile b/arch/openrisc/Makefile
index 89076a66eee2..cf8802962864 100644
--- a/arch/openrisc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/openrisc/Makefile
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ LDFLAGS_vmlinux :=
 LIBGCC 		:= $(shell $(CC) $(KBUILD_CFLAGS) -print-libgcc-file-name)
 
 KBUILD_CFLAGS	+= -pipe -ffixed-r10 -D__linux__
+CHECKFLAGS	+= -mbig-endian
 
 ifeq ($(CONFIG_OPENRISC_HAVE_INST_MUL),y)
 	KBUILD_CFLAGS += $(call cc-option,-mhard-mul)