diff --git a/target/board/generic/BoardConfig.mk b/target/board/generic/BoardConfig.mk
index 26bf6ab12..f2295a20d 100644
--- a/target/board/generic/BoardConfig.mk
+++ b/target/board/generic/BoardConfig.mk
@@ -6,7 +6,22 @@
 # The generic product target doesn't have any hardware-specific pieces.
 TARGET_NO_BOOTLOADER := true
 TARGET_NO_KERNEL := true
-TARGET_CPU_ABI := armeabi
+
+# Note: we build the platform images for ARMv7-A _without_ NEON.
+#
+# Technically, the emulator supports ARMv7-A _and_ NEON instructions, but
+# emulated NEON code paths typically ends up 2x slower than the normal C code
+# it is supposed to replace (unlike on real devices where it is 2x to 3x
+# faster).
+#
+# What this means is that the platform image will not use NEON code paths
+# that are slower to emulate. On the other hand, it is possible to emulate
+# application code generated with the NDK that uses NEON in the emulator.
+#
+TARGET_ARCH_VARIANT := armv7-a
+TARGET_CPU_ABI := armeabi-v7a
+TARGET_CPU_ABI2 := armeabi
+
 HAVE_HTC_AUDIO_DRIVER := true
 BOARD_USES_GENERIC_AUDIO := true