diff --git a/kernel/linux/kni/meson.build b/kernel/linux/kni/meson.build
index 07e0c9dae7..46b71c7418 100644
--- a/kernel/linux/kni/meson.build
+++ b/kernel/linux/kni/meson.build
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ kni_sources = files(
 custom_target('rte_kni',
 	input: kni_sources,
 	output: 'rte_kni.ko',
-	command: ['make', '-j4', '-C', kernel_dir + '/build',
+	command: ['make', '-j4', '-C', kernel_build_dir,
 		'M=' + meson.current_build_dir(),
 		'src=' + meson.current_source_dir(),
 		'MODULE_CFLAGS=-include ' + meson.source_root() + '/config/rte_config.h' +
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ custom_target('rte_kni',
 		' -I' + meson.source_root() + '/lib/librte_kni' +
 		' -I' + meson.build_root() +
 		' -I' + meson.current_source_dir(),
-		'modules'],
+		'modules'] + cross_args,
 	depends: kni_mkfile,
-	install: true,
-	install_dir: kernel_dir + '/extra/dpdk',
+	install: install,
+	install_dir: kernel_install_dir,
 	build_by_default: get_option('enable_kmods'))
diff --git a/kernel/linux/meson.build b/kernel/linux/meson.build
index 5c864a4653..4271483329 100644
--- a/kernel/linux/meson.build
+++ b/kernel/linux/meson.build
@@ -3,24 +3,77 @@
 
 subdirs = ['kni']
 
-# if we are cross-compiling we need kernel_dir specified
-if get_option('kernel_dir') == '' and meson.is_cross_build()
-	error('Need "kernel_dir" option for kmod compilation when cross-compiling')
-endif
+kernel_build_dir = get_option('kernel_dir')
+install = not meson.is_cross_build()
+cross_args = []
+kernel_install_dir = ''
 
-kernel_dir = get_option('kernel_dir')
-if kernel_dir == ''
-	# use default path for native builds
+if install
+	# native build
 	kernel_version = run_command('uname', '-r').stdout().strip()
-	kernel_dir = '/lib/modules/' + kernel_version
+	kernel_install_dir = '/lib/modules/' + kernel_version + '/extra/dpdk'
+	if kernel_build_dir == ''
+		# use default path for native builds
+		kernel_build_dir = '/lib/modules/' + kernel_version + '/build'
+	endif
+
+	# test running make in kernel directory, using "make kernelversion"
+	make_returncode = run_command('make', '-sC', kernel_build_dir,
+			'kernelversion').returncode()
+	if make_returncode != 0
+		error('Cannot compile kernel modules as requested - are kernel headers installed?')
+	endif
+
+	# DO ACTUAL MODULE BUILDING
+	foreach d:subdirs
+		subdir(d)
+	endforeach
+
+	subdir_done()
 endif
 
-# test running make in kernel directory, using "make kernelversion"
-make_returncode = run_command('make', '-sC', kernel_dir + '/build',
-		'kernelversion').returncode()
-if make_returncode != 0
-	error('Cannot compile kernel modules as requested - are kernel headers installed?')
+# cross build
+# if we are cross-compiling we need kernel_build_dir specified
+if kernel_build_dir == ''
+	error('Need "kernel_dir" option for kmod compilation when cross-compiling')
+endif
+cross_compiler = find_program('c').path()
+if cross_compiler.endswith('gcc')
+	cross_prefix = run_command([py3, '-c', 'print("' + cross_compiler + '"[:-3])']).stdout().strip()
+elif cross_compiler.endswith('clang')
+	cross_prefix = ''
+	found_target = false
+	# search for '-target' and use the arg that follows
+	# (i.e. the value of '-target') as cross_prefix
+	foreach cross_c_arg : meson.get_cross_property('c_args')
+		if found_target and cross_prefix == ''
+			cross_prefix = cross_c_arg
+		endif
+		if cross_c_arg == '-target'
+			found_target = true
+		endif
+	endforeach
+	if cross_prefix == ''
+		error('Didn\'t find -target and its value in' +
+		      ' c_args in input cross-file.')
+	endif
+	linker = 'lld'
+	foreach cross_c_link_arg : meson.get_cross_property('c_link_args')
+		if cross_c_link_arg.startswith('-fuse-ld')
+			linker = cross_c_link_arg.split('=')[1]
+		endif
+	endforeach
+	cross_args += ['CC=@0@'.format(cross_compiler), 'LD=ld.@0@'.format(linker)]
+else
+	error('Unsupported cross compiler: @0@'.format(cross_compiler))
+endif
+if host_machine.cpu_family() == 'aarch64'
+	cross_arch = 'arm64'
+else
+	cross_arch = build_machine.cpu_family()
 endif
+cross_args += ['ARCH=@0@'.format(cross_arch),
+	'CROSS_COMPILE=@0@'.format(cross_prefix)]
 
 # DO ACTUAL MODULE BUILDING
 foreach d:subdirs
