diff -ru dpkg-1.16.2.orig/scripts/Dpkg/Arch.pm dpkg-1.16.2/scripts/Dpkg/Arch.pm
--- dpkg-1.16.2.orig/scripts/Dpkg/Arch.pm	2012-03-19 02:40:08.000000000 -0400
+++ dpkg-1.16.2/scripts/Dpkg/Arch.pm	2012-04-02 16:14:55.000000000 -0400
@@ -49,12 +49,7 @@
     {
 	return $build_arch if defined $build_arch;
 
-	# Note: We *always* require an installed dpkg when inferring the
-	# build architecture. The bootstrapping case is handled by
-	# dpkg-architecture itself, by avoiding computing the DEB_BUILD_
-	# variables when they are not requested.
-
-	my $build_arch = `dpkg --print-architecture`;
+	my $build_arch = `uname -m`;
 	syserr("dpkg --print-architecture failed") if $? >> 8;
 
 	chomp $build_arch;