diff --git a/apple/internal/transition_support.bzl b/apple/internal/transition_support.bzl
index 0e98ef02fb..1bab5fb884 100644
--- a/apple/internal/transition_support.bzl
+++ b/apple/internal/transition_support.bzl
@@ -102,9 +102,6 @@ def _cpu_string(*, cpu, platform_type, settings = {}):
             return "ios_sim_arm64"
         return "ios_x86_64"
     if platform_type == "macos":
-        host_cpu = settings["//command_line_option:host_cpu"]
-        if host_cpu == "darwin":
-            return "darwin"
         if cpu:
             return "darwin_{}".format(cpu)
         macos_cpus = settings["//command_line_option:macos_cpus"]
@@ -113,6 +110,9 @@ def _cpu_string(*, cpu, platform_type, settings = {}):
         cpu_value = settings["//command_line_option:cpu"]
         if cpu_value.startswith("darwin_"):
             return cpu_value
+        host_cpu = settings["//command_line_option:host_cpu"]
+        if host_cpu == "darwin":
+            return "darwin"
         return "darwin_x86_64"
     if platform_type == "tvos":
         if cpu: