diff --git a/multistrap b/multistrap
index 6911f17..520b17b 100755
--- a/multistrap
+++ b/multistrap
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ main();
 
 sub main {
     use vars qw/ @aptsources %packages $str $retries $dir $arch $foreign
-    $unpack $sourcedir @debootstrap %suites %components %sources %keys $host
+    $unpack $sourcedir @debootstrap %suites %components %sources %keys
     $preffile $file $tidy $noauth %keyrings $deflist @extrapkgs @includes
     $setupsh $configsh $omitrequired $omitpreinst @reinstall $tgzname @check
     $explicit_suite $allow_recommends %omitdebsrc @dsclist %flatfile
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ sub main {
     cascade($file);
 # Translators: fields are programname, include file.
     printf (_g("%s using %s\n"), $progname, $file);
-    $host = `dpkg --print-architecture`;
+    my $host = `dpkg --print-architecture`;
     chomp($host);
     foreach my $inc (@includes) {
 	    cascade($inc);
@@ -805,6 +805,8 @@ sub guard_lib64 {
 		}
 	} elsif (not -d "${dir}lib64") {
 		chdir ("$dir");
+		my $host = `dpkg --print-architecture`;
+		chomp($host);
 		if ($host eq 'i386' and $arch eq 'amd64') {
 			printf (_g("I: Replaced ./lib64 -> /lib symbolic link with new %slib64 directory.\n"), $dir);
 			mkdir_fatal ("${dir}lib64");
@@ -820,6 +822,8 @@ sub check_bin_sh {
 	$dir = shift;
 	my $old = `pwd`;
 	chomp ($old);
+	my $host = `dpkg --print-architecture`;
+	chomp($host);
 	# dash refuses to configure if no existing shell is found.
 	# (always expects a diversion to already exist).
 	# (works OK in subsequent upgrades.) #546528
@@ -1464,6 +1468,8 @@ sub dump_config {
 	if (defined $arch and $arch ne "") {
 		printf ("Architecture:\t\t"._g("Architecture to download: %s\n"), $arch);
 	} else {
+	    my $host = `dpkg --print-architecture`;
+	    chomp($host);
 		$msg .= sprintf(_g("Cannot determine architecture from '%s'. Using %s.\n"), $file, $host);
 	}
 	if (scalar (@foreignarches) > 0) {