diff --git a/package/faad2/faad2.mk b/package/faad2/faad2.mk
index 686e5045c0..0b249b3450 100644
--- a/package/faad2/faad2.mk
+++ b/package/faad2/faad2.mk
@@ -12,4 +12,11 @@ FAAD2_CPE_ID_VENDOR = audiocoding
 FAAD2_CPE_ID_PRODUCT = freeware_advanced_audio_decoder_2
 FAAD2_INSTALL_STAGING = YES
 
+# faad2 contains assembly routines using ARM instructions not present in thumb1 mode:
+# Error: selected processor does not support `smull r2,r3,r1,r0' in Thumb mode
+# so force ARM mode
+ifeq ($(BR2_ARM_INSTRUCTIONS_THUMB),y)
+FAAD2_CONF_OPTS += -DCMAKE_C_FLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS) -marm"
+endif
+
 $(eval $(cmake-package))