diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index e357115..c126039 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
   * Use secure copyright file specification URI.
   * debian/copyright: use spaces rather than tabs to start continuation
     lines.
+  * Rely on pre-initialized dpkg-architecture variables.
 
  -- Simon McVittie <smcv@debian.org>  Mon, 27 Apr 2020 08:48:20 +0100
 
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index 1d51e92..2d91bcf 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 # bug #715461, provide default soundfont paths
 export DEB_CPPFLAGS_MAINT_APPEND := -DMIX_INIT_SOUNDFONT_PATHS=\"/usr/share/sounds/sf3/default-GM.sf3\"
 
-DEB_HOST_MULTIARCH ?= $(shell dpkg-architecture -qDEB_HOST_MULTIARCH)
+include /usr/share/dpkg/architecture.mk
 
 SHLIBVER := 2.0.2