diff --git a/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk b/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk
index ffb6021c3..45030622d 100644
--- a/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk
+++ b/core/combo/TARGET_linux-arm.mk
@@ -36,9 +36,21 @@ endif
 KNOWN_ARMv8_CORES := cortex-a53 cortex-a53.a57 cortex-a55 cortex-a73 cortex-a75 cortex-a76
 KNOWN_ARMv8_CORES += kryo denver64 exynos-m1 exynos-m2
 
+KNOWN_ARMv82a_CORES := cortex-a55 cortex-a75
+
+# Check for cores that implement armv8-2a ISAs.
+ifneq (,$(filter $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT), $(KNOWN_ARMv82a_CORES)))
+  ifneq ($(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT),armv8-2a)
+    $(warning $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT) is armv8-2a.)
+    ifneq (,$(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT))
+      $(warning TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT, $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT), ignored! Use armv8-2a instead.)
+    endif
+    # Overwrite TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT
+    TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT := armv8-2a
+  endif
 # Many devices (incorrectly) use armv7-a-neon as the 2nd architecture variant
 # for cores that implement armv8-a ISAs. The following sets it to armv8-a.
-ifneq (,$(filter $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT), $(KNOWN_ARMv8_CORES)))
+else ifneq (,$(filter $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT), $(KNOWN_ARMv8_CORES)))
   ifneq ($(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT),armv8-a)
     $(warning $(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)CPU_VARIANT) is armv8-a.)
     ifneq (,$(TARGET_$(combo_2nd_arch_prefix)ARCH_VARIANT))
diff --git a/core/combo/arch/arm/armv8-2a.mk b/core/combo/arch/arm/armv8-2a.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb