diff --git a/configure b/configure
index 98dc78280e..133f4e3235 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -469,57 +469,119 @@ else
   echo "WARNING: unrecognized host CPU, proceeding with 'uname -m' output '$cpu'"
 fi
 
-case "$cpu" in
-  riscv*)
-    host_arch=riscv ;;
-  *)
-    host_arch="$cpu" ;;
-esac
-
-# Normalise host CPU name and set multilib cflags.  The canonicalization
-# isn't really necessary, because the architectures that we check for
-# should not hit the 'uname -m' case, but better safe than sorry.
+# Normalise host CPU name to the values used by Meson cross files and in source
+# directories, and set multilib cflags.  The canonicalization isn't really
+# necessary, because the architectures that we check for should not hit the
+# 'uname -m' case, but better safe than sorry in case --cpu= is used.
+#
 # Note that this case should only have supported host CPUs, not guests.
+# Please keep it sorted and synchronized with meson.build's host_arch.
+host_arch=
+linux_arch=
 case "$cpu" in
+  aarch64)
+    host_arch=aarch64
+    linux_arch=arm64
+    ;;
+
   armv*b|armv*l|arm)
-    cpu="arm" ;;
+    cpu=arm
+    host_arch=arm
+    linux_arch=arm
+    ;;
 
   i386|i486|i586|i686)
     cpu="i386"
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m32" ;;
+    host_arch=i386
+    linux_arch=x86
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m32"
+    ;;
+
+  loongarch*)
+    cpu=loongarch64
+    host_arch=loongarch64
+    ;;
+
+  mips64*)
+    cpu=mips64
+    host_arch=mips
+    linux_arch=mips
+    ;;
+  mips*)
+    cpu=mips
+    host_arch=mips
+    linux_arch=mips
+    ;;
+
+  ppc)
+    host_arch=ppc
+    linux_arch=powerpc
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m32"
+    ;;
+  ppc64)
+    host_arch=ppc64
+    linux_arch=powerpc
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mbig-endian"
+    ;;
+  ppc64le)
+    cpu=ppc64
+    host_arch=ppc64
+    linux_arch=powerpc
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mlittle-endian"
+    ;;
+
+  riscv32 | riscv64)
+    host_arch=riscv
+    linux_arch=riscv
+    ;;
+
+  s390)
+    linux_arch=s390
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m31"
+    ;;
+  s390x)
+    host_arch=s390x
+    linux_arch=s390
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64"
+    ;;
+
+  sparc|sun4[cdmuv])
+    cpu=sparc
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m32 -mv8plus -mcpu=ultrasparc"
+    ;;
+  sparc64)
+    host_arch=sparc64
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mcpu=ultrasparc"
+    ;;
+
   x32)
     cpu="x86_64"
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-mx32" ;;
+    host_arch=x86_64
+    linux_arch=x86
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-mx32"
+    ;;
   x86_64|amd64)
     cpu="x86_64"
+    host_arch=x86_64
+    linux_arch=x86
     # ??? Only extremely old AMD cpus do not have cmpxchg16b.
     # If we truly care, we should simply detect this case at
     # runtime and generate the fallback to serial emulation.
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mcx16" ;;
-
-  mips*)
-    cpu="mips" ;;
-
-  ppc)
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m32" ;;
-  ppc64)
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mbig-endian" ;;
-  ppc64le)
-    cpu="ppc64"
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mlittle-endian" ;;
-
-  s390)
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m31" ;;
-  s390x)
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64" ;;
-
-  sparc|sun4[cdmuv])
-    cpu="sparc"
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m32 -mv8plus -mcpu=ultrasparc" ;;
-  sparc64)
-    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mcpu=ultrasparc" ;;
+    CPU_CFLAGS="-m64 -mcx16"
+    ;;
 esac
 
+if test -n "$host_arch" && {
+    ! test -d "$source_path/linux-user/include/host/$host_arch" ||
+    ! test -d "$source_path/common-user/host/$host_arch"; }; then
+    error_exit "linux-user/include/host/$host_arch does not exist." \
+       "This is a bug in the configure script, please report it."
+fi
+if test -n "$linux_arch" && ! test -d "$source_path/linux-headers/asm-$linux_arch"; then
+    error_exit "linux-headers/asm-$linux_arch does not exist." \
+       "This is a bug in the configure script, please report it."
+fi
+
 check_py_version() {
     # We require python >= 3.7.
     # NB: a True python conditional creates a non-zero return code (Failure)
@@ -810,7 +872,7 @@ default_target_list=""
 mak_wilds=""
 
 if [ "$linux_user" != no ]; then
-    if [ "$targetos" = linux ] && [ -d "$source_path/linux-user/include/host/$host_arch" ]; then
+    if [ "$targetos" = linux ] && [ -n "$host_arch" ]; then
         linux_user=yes
     elif [ "$linux_user" = yes ]; then
         error_exit "linux-user not supported on this architecture"
@@ -1715,40 +1777,9 @@ echo "PKG_CONFIG=${pkg_config}" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "CC=$cc" >> $config_host_mak
 echo "EXESUF=$EXESUF" >> $config_host_mak
 
-# use included Linux headers
-if test "$linux" = "yes" ; then
-  mkdir -p linux-headers
-  case "$cpu" in
-  i386|x86_64)
-    linux_arch=x86
-    ;;
-  ppc|ppc64)
-    linux_arch=powerpc
-    ;;
-  s390x)
-    linux_arch=s390
-    ;;
-  aarch64)
-    linux_arch=arm64
-    ;;
-  loongarch*)
-    linux_arch=loongarch
-    ;;
-  mips64)
-    linux_arch=mips
-    ;;
-  riscv32|riscv64)
-    linux_arch=riscv
-    ;;
-  *)
-    # For most CPUs the kernel architecture name and QEMU CPU name match.
-    linux_arch="$cpu"
-    ;;
-  esac
-    # For non-KVM architectures we will not have asm headers
-    if [ -e "$source_path/linux-headers/asm-$linux_arch" ]; then
-      symlink "$source_path/linux-headers/asm-$linux_arch" linux-headers/asm
-    fi
+# use included Linux headers for KVM architectures
+if test "$linux" = "yes" && test -n "$linux_arch"; then
+  symlink "$source_path/linux-headers/asm-$linux_arch" linux-headers/asm
 fi
 
 for target in $target_list; do
diff --git a/linux-user/include/host/alpha/host-signal.h b/linux-user/include/host/alpha/host-signal.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f9e2abc4b..0000000000
--- a/linux-user/include/host/alpha/host-signal.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,55 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * host-signal.h: signal info dependent on the host architecture
- *
- * Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Fabrice Bellard
- * Copyright (c) 2021 Linaro Limited
- *
- * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, version 2.1 or later.
- * See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
- */
-
-#ifndef ALPHA_HOST_SIGNAL_H
-#define ALPHA_HOST_SIGNAL_H
-
-/* The third argument to a SA_SIGINFO handler is ucontext_t. */
-typedef ucontext_t host_sigcontext;
-
-static inline uintptr_t host_signal_pc(host_sigcontext *uc)
-{
-    return uc->uc_mcontext.sc_pc;
-}
-
-static inline void host_signal_set_pc(host_sigcontext *uc, uintptr_t pc)
-{
-    uc->uc_mcontext.sc_pc = pc;
-}
-
-static inline void *host_signal_mask(host_sigcontext *uc)
-{
-    return &uc->uc_sigmask;
-}
-
-static inline bool host_signal_write(siginfo_t *info, host_sigcontext *uc)
-{
-    uint32_t *pc = (uint32_t *)host_signal_pc(uc);
-    uint32_t insn = *pc;
-
-    /* XXX: need kernel patch to get write flag faster */
-    switch (insn >> 26) {
-    case 0x0d: /* stw */
-    case 0x0e: /* stb */
-    case 0x0f: /* stq_u */
-    case 0x24: /* stf */
-    case 0x25: /* stg */
-    case 0x26: /* sts */
-    case 0x27: /* stt */
-    case 0x2c: /* stl */
-    case 0x2d: /* stq */
-    case 0x2e: /* stl_c */
-    case 0x2f: /* stq_c */
-        return true;
-    }
-    return false;
-}
-
-#endif
diff --git a/linux-user/include/host/s390/host-signal.h b/linux-user/include/host/s390/host-signal.h
deleted file mode 100644
index e6d3ec26dc..0000000000
--- a/linux-user/include/host/s390/host-signal.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,138 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * host-signal.h: signal info dependent on the host architecture
- *
- * Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Fabrice Bellard
- * Copyright (c) 2021 Linaro Limited
- *
- * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, version 2.1 or later.
- * See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
- */
-
-#ifndef S390_HOST_SIGNAL_H
-#define S390_HOST_SIGNAL_H
-
-/* The third argument to a SA_SIGINFO handler is ucontext_t. */
-typedef ucontext_t host_sigcontext;
-
-static inline uintptr_t host_signal_pc(host_sigcontext *uc)
-{
-    return uc->uc_mcontext.psw.addr;
-}
-
-static inline void host_signal_set_pc(host_sigcontext *uc, uintptr_t pc)
-{
-    uc->uc_mcontext.psw.addr = pc;
-}
-
-static inline void *host_signal_mask(host_sigcontext *uc)
-{
-    return &uc->uc_sigmask;
-}
-
-static inline bool host_signal_write(siginfo_t *info, host_sigcontext *uc)
-{
-    uint16_t *pinsn = (uint16_t *)host_signal_pc(uc);
-
-    /*
-     * ??? On linux, the non-rt signal handler has 4 (!) arguments instead
-     * of the normal 2 arguments.  The 4th argument contains the "Translation-
-     * Exception Identification for DAT Exceptions" from the hardware (aka
-     * "int_parm_long"), which does in fact contain the is_write value.
-     * The rt signal handler, as far as I can tell, does not give this value
-     * at all.  Not that we could get to it from here even if it were.
-     * So fall back to parsing instructions.  Treat read-modify-write ones as
-     * writes, which is not fully correct, but for tracking self-modifying code
-     * this is better than treating them as reads.  Checking si_addr page flags
-     * might be a viable improvement, albeit a racy one.
-     */
-    /* ??? This is not even close to complete.  */
-    switch (pinsn[0] >> 8) {
-    case 0x50: /* ST */
-    case 0x42: /* STC */
-    case 0x40: /* STH */
-    case 0x44: /* EX */
-    case 0xba: /* CS */
-    case 0xbb: /* CDS */
-        return true;
-    case 0xc4: /* RIL format insns */
-        switch (pinsn[0] & 0xf) {
-        case 0xf: /* STRL */
-        case 0xb: /* STGRL */
-        case 0x7: /* STHRL */
-            return true;
-        }
-        break;
-    case 0xc6: /* RIL-b format insns */
-        switch (pinsn[0] & 0xf) {
-        case 0x0: /* EXRL */
-            return true;
-        }
-        break;
-    case 0xc8: /* SSF format insns */
-        switch (pinsn[0] & 0xf) {
-        case 0x2: /* CSST */
-            return true;
-        }
-        break;
-    case 0xe3: /* RXY format insns */
-        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
-        case 0x50: /* STY */
-        case 0x24: /* STG */
-        case 0x72: /* STCY */
-        case 0x70: /* STHY */
-        case 0x8e: /* STPQ */
-        case 0x3f: /* STRVH */
-        case 0x3e: /* STRV */
-        case 0x2f: /* STRVG */
-            return true;
-        }
-        break;
-    case 0xe6:
-        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
-        case 0x09: /* VSTEBRH */
-        case 0x0a: /* VSTEBRG */
-        case 0x0b: /* VSTEBRF */
-        case 0x0e: /* VSTBR */
-        case 0x0f: /* VSTER */
-        case 0x3f: /* VSTRLR */
-            return true;
-        }
-        break;
-    case 0xe7:
-        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
-        case 0x08: /* VSTEB */
-        case 0x09: /* VSTEH */
-        case 0x0a: /* VSTEG */
-        case 0x0b: /* VSTEF */
-        case 0x0e: /* VST */
-        case 0x1a: /* VSCEG */
-        case 0x1b: /* VSCEF */
-        case 0x3e: /* VSTM */
-        case 0x3f: /* VSTL */
-            return true;
-        }
-        break;
-    case 0xeb: /* RSY format insns */
-        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
-        case 0x14: /* CSY */
-        case 0x30: /* CSG */
-        case 0x31: /* CDSY */
-        case 0x3e: /* CDSG */
-        case 0xe4: /* LANG */
-        case 0xe6: /* LAOG */
-        case 0xe7: /* LAXG */
-        case 0xe8: /* LAAG */
-        case 0xea: /* LAALG */
-        case 0xf4: /* LAN */
-        case 0xf6: /* LAO */
-        case 0xf7: /* LAX */
-        case 0xfa: /* LAAL */
-        case 0xf8: /* LAA */
-            return true;
-        }
-        break;
-    }
-    return false;
-}
-
-#endif
diff --git a/linux-user/include/host/s390x/host-signal.h b/linux-user/include/host/s390x/host-signal.h
index 0e83f9358d..e6d3ec26dc 100644
--- a/linux-user/include/host/s390x/host-signal.h
+++ b/linux-user/include/host/s390x/host-signal.h
@@ -1 +1,138 @@
-#include "../s390/host-signal.h"
+/*
+ * host-signal.h: signal info dependent on the host architecture
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Fabrice Bellard
+ * Copyright (c) 2021 Linaro Limited
+ *
+ * This work is licensed under the terms of the GNU LGPL, version 2.1 or later.
+ * See the COPYING file in the top-level directory.
+ */
+
+#ifndef S390_HOST_SIGNAL_H
+#define S390_HOST_SIGNAL_H
+
+/* The third argument to a SA_SIGINFO handler is ucontext_t. */
+typedef ucontext_t host_sigcontext;
+
+static inline uintptr_t host_signal_pc(host_sigcontext *uc)
+{
+    return uc->uc_mcontext.psw.addr;
+}
+
+static inline void host_signal_set_pc(host_sigcontext *uc, uintptr_t pc)
+{
+    uc->uc_mcontext.psw.addr = pc;
+}
+
+static inline void *host_signal_mask(host_sigcontext *uc)
+{
+    return &uc->uc_sigmask;
+}
+
+static inline bool host_signal_write(siginfo_t *info, host_sigcontext *uc)
+{
+    uint16_t *pinsn = (uint16_t *)host_signal_pc(uc);
+
+    /*
+     * ??? On linux, the non-rt signal handler has 4 (!) arguments instead
+     * of the normal 2 arguments.  The 4th argument contains the "Translation-
+     * Exception Identification for DAT Exceptions" from the hardware (aka
+     * "int_parm_long"), which does in fact contain the is_write value.
+     * The rt signal handler, as far as I can tell, does not give this value
+     * at all.  Not that we could get to it from here even if it were.
+     * So fall back to parsing instructions.  Treat read-modify-write ones as
+     * writes, which is not fully correct, but for tracking self-modifying code
+     * this is better than treating them as reads.  Checking si_addr page flags
+     * might be a viable improvement, albeit a racy one.
+     */
+    /* ??? This is not even close to complete.  */
+    switch (pinsn[0] >> 8) {
+    case 0x50: /* ST */
+    case 0x42: /* STC */
+    case 0x40: /* STH */
+    case 0x44: /* EX */
+    case 0xba: /* CS */
+    case 0xbb: /* CDS */
+        return true;
+    case 0xc4: /* RIL format insns */
+        switch (pinsn[0] & 0xf) {
+        case 0xf: /* STRL */
+        case 0xb: /* STGRL */
+        case 0x7: /* STHRL */
+            return true;
+        }
+        break;
+    case 0xc6: /* RIL-b format insns */
+        switch (pinsn[0] & 0xf) {
+        case 0x0: /* EXRL */
+            return true;
+        }
+        break;
+    case 0xc8: /* SSF format insns */
+        switch (pinsn[0] & 0xf) {
+        case 0x2: /* CSST */
+            return true;
+        }
+        break;
+    case 0xe3: /* RXY format insns */
+        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
+        case 0x50: /* STY */
+        case 0x24: /* STG */
+        case 0x72: /* STCY */
+        case 0x70: /* STHY */
+        case 0x8e: /* STPQ */
+        case 0x3f: /* STRVH */
+        case 0x3e: /* STRV */
+        case 0x2f: /* STRVG */
+            return true;
+        }
+        break;
+    case 0xe6:
+        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
+        case 0x09: /* VSTEBRH */
+        case 0x0a: /* VSTEBRG */
+        case 0x0b: /* VSTEBRF */
+        case 0x0e: /* VSTBR */
+        case 0x0f: /* VSTER */
+        case 0x3f: /* VSTRLR */
+            return true;
+        }
+        break;
+    case 0xe7:
+        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
+        case 0x08: /* VSTEB */
+        case 0x09: /* VSTEH */
+        case 0x0a: /* VSTEG */
+        case 0x0b: /* VSTEF */
+        case 0x0e: /* VST */
+        case 0x1a: /* VSCEG */
+        case 0x1b: /* VSCEF */
+        case 0x3e: /* VSTM */
+        case 0x3f: /* VSTL */
+            return true;
+        }
+        break;
+    case 0xeb: /* RSY format insns */
+        switch (pinsn[2] & 0xff) {
+        case 0x14: /* CSY */
+        case 0x30: /* CSG */
+        case 0x31: /* CDSY */
+        case 0x3e: /* CDSG */
+        case 0xe4: /* LANG */
+        case 0xe6: /* LAOG */
+        case 0xe7: /* LAXG */
+        case 0xe8: /* LAAG */
+        case 0xea: /* LAALG */
+        case 0xf4: /* LAN */
+        case 0xf6: /* LAO */
+        case 0xf7: /* LAX */
+        case 0xfa: /* LAAL */
+        case 0xf8: /* LAA */
+            return true;
+        }
+        break;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/linux-user/include/host/x32/host-signal.h b/linux-user/include/host/x32/host-signal.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 26800591d3..0000000000
--- a/linux-user/include/host/x32/host-signal.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-#include "../x86_64/host-signal.h"