diff --git a/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile b/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile
index f47d8caa6d2..30b12386a3e 100644
--- a/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile
+++ b/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile
@@ -51,8 +51,10 @@ endif
 	mkdir -p ${TEMP_DIR}/cni-bin/bin
 	tar -xz -C ${TEMP_DIR}/cni-bin/bin -f "cni-tars/${CNI_TARBALL}"
 
+ifneq ($(ARCH),amd64)
 	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for non-x86 binaries in the kernel
 	docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static:register --reset
+endif
 	docker build --pull -t $(REGISTRY)/$(IMAGE)-$(ARCH):$(TAG) $(TEMP_DIR)
 	rm -rf $(TEMP_DIR)
 
diff --git a/build/debian-iptables/Dockerfile b/build/debian-iptables/Dockerfile
index 0ec3d56dc62..e4fd481fbb4 100644
--- a/build/debian-iptables/Dockerfile
+++ b/build/debian-iptables/Dockerfile
@@ -14,10 +14,6 @@
 
 FROM BASEIMAGE
 
-# If we're building for another architecture than amd64, the CROSS_BUILD_ placeholder is removed so e.g. CROSS_BUILD_COPY turns into COPY
-# If we're building normally, for amd64, CROSS_BUILD lines are removed
-CROSS_BUILD_COPY qemu-ARCH-static /usr/bin/
-
 RUN clean-install \
     conntrack \
     ebtables \
diff --git a/build/debian-iptables/Makefile b/build/debian-iptables/Makefile
index d70a4fce8bf..8cd9ccb4d4c 100644
--- a/build/debian-iptables/Makefile
+++ b/build/debian-iptables/Makefile
@@ -19,37 +19,16 @@ IMAGE=debian-iptables
 TAG=v10.1
 ARCH?=amd64
 TEMP_DIR:=$(shell mktemp -d)
-QEMUVERSION=v2.9.1
-
-ifeq ($(ARCH),arm)
-	QEMUARCH=arm
-endif
-ifeq ($(ARCH),arm64)
-	QEMUARCH=aarch64
-endif
-ifeq ($(ARCH),ppc64le)
-	QEMUARCH=ppc64le
-endif
-ifeq ($(ARCH),s390x)
-	QEMUARCH=s390x
-endif
 
 BASEIMAGE=k8s.gcr.io/debian-base-$(ARCH):0.3.1
 
 build:
 	cp ./* $(TEMP_DIR)
 	cd $(TEMP_DIR) && sed -i "s|BASEIMAGE|$(BASEIMAGE)|g" Dockerfile
-	cd $(TEMP_DIR) && sed -i "s|ARCH|$(QEMUARCH)|g" Dockerfile
 
-ifeq ($(ARCH),amd64)
-	# When building "normally" for amd64, remove the whole line, it has no part in the amd64 image
-	cd $(TEMP_DIR) && sed -i "/CROSS_BUILD_/d" Dockerfile
-else
-	# When cross-building, only the placeholder "CROSS_BUILD_" should be removed
-	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for ARM binaries in the kernel
+ifneq ($(ARCH),amd64)
+	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for non-x86 binaries in the kernel
 	docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static:register --reset
-	curl -sSL https://github.com/multiarch/qemu-user-static/releases/download/$(QEMUVERSION)/x86_64_qemu-$(QEMUARCH)-static.tar.gz | tar -xz -C $(TEMP_DIR)
-	cd $(TEMP_DIR) && sed -i "s/CROSS_BUILD_//g" Dockerfile
 endif
 
 	docker build --pull -t $(REGISTRY)/$(IMAGE)-$(ARCH):$(TAG) $(TEMP_DIR)
diff --git a/cluster/images/hyperkube/Makefile b/cluster/images/hyperkube/Makefile
index 4c8a645d92a..3d0a6f5d0fe 100644
--- a/cluster/images/hyperkube/Makefile
+++ b/cluster/images/hyperkube/Makefile
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ endif
 
 	cd ${TEMP_DIR} && sed -i.back "s|BASEIMAGE|${BASEIMAGE}|g" Dockerfile
 
+ifneq ($(ARCH),amd64)
 	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for non-x86 binaries in the kernel
 	docker run --rm --privileged multiarch/qemu-user-static:register --reset
+endif
 	docker build --pull -t ${REGISTRY}/hyperkube-${ARCH}:${VERSION} ${TEMP_DIR}
 	rm -rf "${TEMP_DIR}"