diff --git a/templates/binutils.tmpl b/templates/binutils.tmpl
index 8f909083af1..fcbfa45b193 100644
--- a/templates/binutils.tmpl
+++ b/templates/binutils.tmpl
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ pkgname=binutils
 version=2.19
 distfiles="http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/binutils/$pkgname-$version.tar.bz2"
 build_style=gnu_configure
-configure_args="--disable-werror --enable-shared --disable-multilib"
+configure_args="--disable-werror --enable-shared --disable-multilib
+ --enable-64-bit-bfd"
 make_install_target="tooldir=$XBPS_DESTDIR/$pkgname-$version/usr
  install prefix=$XBPS_DESTDIR/$pkgname-$version/usr"
 short_desc="GNU binary utilities"