diff --git a/dist/buildmk b/dist/buildmk
index cee62ba6..3f26d0af 100755
--- a/dist/buildmk
+++ b/dist/buildmk
@@ -13,5 +13,6 @@ OBJTYPE=`uname -m -p | sed '
 	s;.*macppc.*;power;g;
 	s;.*ppc64.*;power;g;
 	s;.*ppc.*;power;g;
+	s;.*alpha.*;alpha;g;
 '` export OBJTYPE
 sh -x mkmk.sh
diff --git a/src/mkhdr b/src/mkhdr
index fdc9c447..6eed94d9 100644
--- a/src/mkhdr
+++ b/src/mkhdr
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ OBJTYPE=`uname -m -p | sed '
 	s;.*macppc.*;power;g;
 	s;.*ppc64.*;power;g;
 	s;.*ppc.*;power;g;
+	s;.*alpha.*;alpha;g;
 '`
 
 BIN=$PLAN9/bin