diff --git a/arch/sparc/Makefile b/arch/sparc/Makefile
index eaee14637d93..8496a074bd0e 100644
--- a/arch/sparc/Makefile
+++ b/arch/sparc/Makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,13 @@ LDFLAGS        := -m elf32_sparc
 export BITS    := 32
 UTS_MACHINE    := sparc
 
+# We are adding -Wa,-Av8 to KBUILD_CFLAGS to deal with a specs bug in some
+# versions of gcc.  Some gcc versions won't pass -Av8 to binutils when you
+# give -mcpu=v8.  This silently worked with older bintutils versions but
+# does not any more.
 KBUILD_CFLAGS  += -m32 -mcpu=v8 -pipe -mno-fpu -fcall-used-g5 -fcall-used-g7
+KBUILD_CFLAGS  += -Wa,-Av8
+
 KBUILD_AFLAGS  += -m32 -Wa,-Av8
 
 else