diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index a44e672b..8b629951 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ option(WITH_SECURE_JIT      "Enable secure access to JIT memory" OFF)
 option(WITH_DMI             "Enable DMI/SMBIOS reader" ON)
 
 option(BUILD_STATIC         "Build static binary" OFF)
-option(ARM_TARGET           "Force use specific ARM target 8 or 7" 0)
 option(HWLOC_DEBUG          "Enable hwloc debug helpers and log" OFF)
 
 
diff --git a/cmake/cpu.cmake b/cmake/cpu.cmake
index cbcd8b01..731925cd 100644
--- a/cmake/cpu.cmake
+++ b/cmake/cpu.cmake
@@ -29,13 +29,19 @@ else()
     set(WITH_VAES OFF)
 endif()
 
-if (NOT ARM_TARGET)
-    if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR MATCHES "^(aarch64|arm64|armv8-a)$")
+set(CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM8 "^(aarch64|arm64|armv8-a)$")
+set(CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM7 "^(armv7|armv7f|armv7s|armv7k|armv7-a|armv7l|armv7ve)$")
+if ((CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR MATCHES "${CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM8}") OR (CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR MATCHES "${CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM7}"))
+    set(ARM_TARGET 0 CACHE STRING "Force use specific ARM target 8 or 7")
+    set_property(CACHE ARM_TARGET PROPERTY STRINGS 0 7 8)
+    if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR MATCHES "${CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM8}")
         set(ARM_TARGET 8)
-    elseif (CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR MATCHES "^(armv7|armv7f|armv7s|armv7k|armv7-a|armv7l|armv7ve)$")
+    elseif (CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR MATCHES "${CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM7}")
         set(ARM_TARGET 7)
     endif()
 endif()
+unset(CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM8)
+unset(CPUTYPE_REGEX_ARM7)
 
 if (ARM_TARGET AND ARM_TARGET GREATER 6)
     set(XMRIG_ARM ON)