diff --git a/package/php/php.mk b/package/php/php.mk
index 6a2a6ae71b..68aeceb33e 100644
--- a/package/php/php.mk
+++ b/package/php/php.mk
@@ -84,6 +84,13 @@ else
 PHP_CONF_ENV += ac_cv_func_dlopen=no ac_cv_lib_dl_dlopen=no
 endif
 
+# php has some assembly function that is not present in Thumb mode:
+# Error: selected processor does not support `umlal r2,r1,r0,r3' in Thumb mode
+# so, we desactivate Thumb mode
+ifeq ($(BR2_ARM_INSTRUCTIONS_THUMB),y)
+PHP_CFLAGS += -marm
+endif
+
 PHP_CONF_OPTS += $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_PHP_SAPI_CLI),--enable-cli,--disable-cli)
 PHP_CONF_OPTS += $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_PHP_SAPI_CGI),--enable-cgi,--disable-cgi)
 PHP_CONF_OPTS += $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_PHP_SAPI_FPM),--enable-fpm,--disable-fpm)