--- a/config.h.in
+++ b/config.h.in
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `arc4random_uniform' function. */
 #undef HAVE_ARC4RANDOM_UNIFORM
 
+/* Define if the ARM yield instruction is available */
+#undef HAVE_ARM_YIELD
+
 /* Define to 1 if the compiler supports __builtin_clz. */
 #undef HAVE_BUILTIN_CLZ
 
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -421,8 +421,8 @@ AS_CASE([$host],
 	       [[]],
 	       [[__asm__ __volatile__ ("yield")]]
 	     )],
-	    [AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])],
-	    [AC_MSG_ERROR([no, try adding -march=native or -march=armv7-a to CFLAGS (see PLATFORMS.md for more information)])])])
+	    [AC_MSG_RESULT([yes]) AC_DEFINE([HAVE_ARM_YIELD],[1],[Define if the ARM yield instruction is available])],
+	    [AC_MSG_RESULT([no])])])
 
 AC_CHECK_FUNCS([sysctlbyname])
 
--- a/lib/isc/rwlock.c
+++ b/lib/isc/rwlock.c
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 # define isc_rwlock_pause() __asm__ __volatile__ ("rep; nop")
 #elif defined(__ia64__)
 # define isc_rwlock_pause() __asm__ __volatile__ ("hint @pause")
-#elif defined(__arm__)
+#elif defined(__arm__) && HAVE_ARM_YIELD
 # define isc_rwlock_pause() __asm__ __volatile__ ("yield")
 #elif defined(sun) && (defined(__sparc) || defined(__sparc__))
 # define isc_rwlock_pause() smt_pause()