diff --git a/src/codegen/target/x86/detect.cpp b/src/codegen/target/x86/detect.cpp
index cfa09cc243..d6c9f1fc06 100644
--- a/src/codegen/target/x86/detect.cpp
+++ b/src/codegen/target/x86/detect.cpp
@@ -13,11 +13,39 @@
 
 #include "context.h"
 
+#ifndef _MSC_VER
+#include <cpuid.h>
+#else
+// MSVC implementation:
+static int __get_cpuid(unsigned int __level,
+                       unsigned int* __eax,
+                       unsigned int* __ebx,
+                       unsigned int* __ecx,
+                       unsigned int* __edx)
+{
+  _asm
+  {
+    mov eax, __level;
+    cpuid;
+    mov[__eax], eax;
+    mov[__ebx], ebx;
+    mov[__ecx], ecx;
+    mov[__edx], edx;
+  }
+  return 1;
+}
+#define bit_SSE (1 << 25)
+#define bit_SSE2 (1 << 26)
+
+#endif
+
 namespace avian {
 namespace codegen {
 namespace x86 {
 
-extern "C" bool detectFeature(unsigned ecx, unsigned edx);
+// TODO: this should be moved such that it's called by the client (e.g. whatever
+// allocates the Archivecture).  That way, we can link the x86 code generator on
+// another architecture (e.g. arm).
 
 bool useSSE(ArchitectureContext* c)
 {
@@ -27,8 +55,11 @@ bool useSSE(ArchitectureContext* c)
   } else if (c->useNativeFeatures) {
     static int supported = -1;
     if (supported == -1) {
-      supported = detectFeature(0, 0x2000000)       // SSE 1
-                  and detectFeature(0, 0x4000000);  // SSE 2
+      unsigned eax;
+      unsigned ebx;
+      unsigned ecx;
+      unsigned edx;
+      supported = __get_cpuid(1, &eax, &ebx, &ecx, &edx) && (edx & bit_SSE) && (edx & bit_SSE2);
     }
     return supported;
   } else {
diff --git a/src/x86.S b/src/x86.S
index 704ad5d61c..c02882d31d 100644
--- a/src/x86.S
+++ b/src/x86.S
@@ -27,37 +27,6 @@
 #define CHECKPOINT_STACK 48
    
 #ifdef __MINGW32__
-.globl GLOBAL(detectFeature)
-GLOBAL(detectFeature):
-   pushq %rbp
-   movq %rsp, %rbp
-   pushq %rdx
-   pushq %rcx
-   pushq %rbx
-   pushq %rsi
-   pushq %rdi
-   movl %ecx, %edi
-   movl %edx, %esi
-   movl $1, %eax
-   cpuid
-   andl %esi, %edx
-   andl %edi, %ecx
-   orl %edx, %ecx
-   test %ecx, %ecx
-   je LOCAL(NOSSE)
-   movl $1, %eax
-   jmp LOCAL(SSEEND)
-LOCAL(NOSSE):
-   movl $0, %eax
-LOCAL(SSEEND):
-   popq %rdi
-   popq %rsi
-   popq %rbx
-   popq %rcx
-   popq %rdx
-   movq %rbp,%rsp
-   popq %rbp
-   ret
 
 .globl GLOBAL(vmNativeCall)
 GLOBAL(vmNativeCall):
@@ -219,31 +188,6 @@ GLOBAL(vmRun_returnAddress):
    ret
    
 #else // not __MINGW32__
-.globl GLOBAL(detectFeature)
-GLOBAL(detectFeature):
-   pushq %rbp
-   movq %rsp, %rbp
-   pushq %rdx
-   pushq %rcx
-   pushq %rbx
-   movl $1, %eax
-   cpuid
-   andl %esi, %edx
-   andl %edi, %ecx
-   orl %edx, %ecx
-   test %ecx, %ecx
-   je LOCAL(NOSSE)
-   movl $1, %eax
-   jmp LOCAL(SSEEND)
-LOCAL(NOSSE):
-   movl $0, %eax
-LOCAL(SSEEND):
-   popq %rbx
-   popq %rcx
-   popq %rdx
-   movq %rbp,%rsp
-   popq %rbp
-   ret
 
 .globl GLOBAL(vmNativeCall)
 GLOBAL(vmNativeCall):
@@ -403,38 +347,6 @@ GLOBAL(vmRun_returnAddress):
 #define CHECKPOINT_STACK 24
 #define CHECKPOINT_BASE 28
 
-.globl GLOBAL(detectFeature)
-GLOBAL(detectFeature):
-   pushl %ebp
-   movl %esp, %ebp
-   pushl %edx
-   pushl %ecx
-   pushl %ebx
-   pushl %esi
-   pushl %edi
-   movl 12(%ebp), %esi
-   movl 8(%ebp), %edi
-   movl $1, %eax
-   cpuid
-   andl %esi, %edx
-   andl %edi, %ecx
-   orl %edx, %ecx
-   test %ecx, %ecx
-   je LOCAL(NOSSE)
-   movl $1, %eax
-   jmp LOCAL(SSEEND)
-LOCAL(NOSSE):
-   movl $0, %eax
-LOCAL(SSEEND):
-   popl %edi
-   popl %esi
-   popl %ebx
-   popl %ecx
-   popl %edx
-   movl %ebp,%esp
-   popl %ebp
-   ret
-
 .globl GLOBAL(vmNativeCall)
 GLOBAL(vmNativeCall):
    pushl  %ebp
diff --git a/src/x86.masm b/src/x86.masm
index db2030576a..10b992b771 100644
--- a/src/x86.masm
+++ b/src/x86.masm
@@ -30,40 +30,6 @@ CHECKPOINT_BASE equ 28
 
 _TEXT SEGMENT
 
-public C detectFeature
-detectFeature:
-	push ebp
-	mov ebp,esp
-	push edx
-	push ecx
-	push ebx
-	push esi
-	push edi
-	mov esi,ds:dword ptr[12+ebp]
-	mov edi,ds:dword ptr[8+ebp]
-	mov eax,1
-	cpuid
-	and edx,esi
-	and ecx,edi
-	or ecx,edx
-	test ecx,ecx
-	je LNOSSE
-	mov eax,1
-	jmp LSSEEND
-
-LNOSSE:
-	mov eax,0
-
-LSSEEND:
-	pop edi
-	pop esi
-	pop ebx
-	pop ecx
-	pop edx
-	mov esp,ebp
-	pop ebp
-	ret
-
 public C vmNativeCall
 vmNativeCall:
 	push ebp