diff --git a/subprojects/macos-bison-binary/meson.build b/subprojects/macos-bison-binary/meson.build
index 860308dd60..f257d58c94 100644
--- a/subprojects/macos-bison-binary/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/macos-bison-binary/meson.build
@@ -4,12 +4,8 @@ py3 = import('python3').find_python()
 
 message('Downloading and extracting bison for macOS x64...')
 
-arch = host_machine.cpu_family()
+arch = 'x86_64' # run under emulation on arm64
 tar_hash = '932f91d7c7fa0121abc3e5f8e54a7234b03d3de468c254ab8063ff8e6eb92a09'
-if arch != 'x86_64'
-  warning('bison binary is untested on non-x86_64, please report whether this worked or not')
-  arch = 'x86_64'
-endif
 
 ret = run_command(py3, files('download-binary.py'), meson.project_version(), arch, tar_hash,
     check: true)