Index: binutils-2.42/gas/config/tc-i386.c
===================================================================
--- binutils-2.42.orig/gas/config/tc-i386.c	2024-01-29 01:00:00.000000000 +0100
+++ binutils-2.42/gas/config/tc-i386.c	2024-02-05 17:54:33.515139672 +0100
@@ -2992,13 +2992,17 @@ set_cpu_arch (int dummy ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED
 	    {
 	      check_cpu_arch_compatible (string, cpu_arch[j].enable);
 
+	      /* XXX code in the wild calls 'as --64' (to generate ELF64),
+	         but then does '.arch i386' first and only then '.code32' or
+	         '.code16'.  This checking here would require swapping these
+	         two directives, so just warn for the time being.  */
 	      if (flag_code == CODE_64BIT && !cpu_arch[j].enable.bitfield.cpu64 )
 		{
-		  as_bad (_("64bit mode not supported on `%s'."),
+		  as_warn (_("64bit mode not supported on `%s' (consider swapping .arch and .code directives)."),
 			  cpu_arch[j].name);
-		  (void) restore_line_pointer (e);
+		  /*(void) restore_line_pointer (e);
 		  ignore_rest_of_line ();
-		  return;
+		  return;*/
 		}
 
 	      if (flag_code == CODE_32BIT && !cpu_arch[j].enable.bitfield.cpui386)