diff --git a/hw/core/Makefile.objs b/hw/core/Makefile.objs
index eb88ca979e..b736ce223a 100644
--- a/hw/core/Makefile.objs
+++ b/hw/core/Makefile.objs
@@ -20,6 +20,6 @@ common-obj-$(CONFIG_SOFTMMU) += register.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_SOFTMMU) += or-irq.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_SOFTMMU) += split-irq.o
 common-obj-$(CONFIG_PLATFORM_BUS) += platform-bus.o
+common-obj-$(CONFIG_SOFTMMU) += generic-loader.o
 
-obj-$(CONFIG_SOFTMMU) += generic-loader.o
 obj-$(CONFIG_SOFTMMU) += null-machine.o
diff --git a/hw/core/generic-loader.c b/hw/core/generic-loader.c
index be29ae12b8..fbae05fb3b 100644
--- a/hw/core/generic-loader.c
+++ b/hw/core/generic-loader.c
@@ -130,11 +130,7 @@ static void generic_loader_realize(DeviceState *dev, Error **errp)
         s->cpu = first_cpu;
     }
 
-#ifdef TARGET_WORDS_BIGENDIAN
-    big_endian = 1;
-#else
-    big_endian = 0;
-#endif
+    big_endian = target_words_bigendian();
 
     if (s->file) {
         AddressSpace *as = s->cpu ? s->cpu->as :  NULL;