diff --git a/build/pkg/build-arch-aarch64.sh b/build/pkg/build-arch-aarch64.sh
index 1cad13523..1827eae11 100755
--- a/build/pkg/build-arch-aarch64.sh
+++ b/build/pkg/build-arch-aarch64.sh
@@ -35,40 +35,79 @@ BUILDNUM=$RELVER
 : ${PKG_SOURCE_BRANCH:=r$RELVER}
 VER+="-$PKG_SOURCE_BRANCH"
 
+MAKE=$USRBIN/dmake
+
 clone_source() {
     clone_github_source pkg \
         "$PKG_SOURCE_REPO" "$PKG_SOURCE_BRANCH" "$PKG5_CLONE"
     ((EXTRACT_MODE)) && exit
 }
 
+pyvar() {
+    python -c "import sysconfig; print(sysconfig.get_config_var('$1'))"
+}
+
 build() {
-    CODE_WS=$TMPDIR/$BUILDDIR/pkg
+    export CODE_WS=$TMPDIR/$BUILDDIR/pkg
     pushd $CODE_WS/src > /dev/null || logerr "Cannot chdir"
 
+    # Run the CFFI build with native python to generate the source files
+    # that we'll later cross compile. We can't use FFI in the cross python
+    # environment.
     logmsg "--- generate CFFI source"
-    logcmd make cffi_src || logerr "Failed to build cffi_src"
+    logcmd $MAKE cffi_src || logerr "Failed to build cffi_src"
 
     versions=`grep '^PYVERSIONS' Makefile.com | tr -s ' ' | cut -d\  -f3-`
     for v in $versions; do
         note -n "Building python version $v"
         set_python_version $v
         python_cross_setup $ARCH
+
+        export CC
+        export PYCFLAGS="-I`pyvar INCLUDEPY` `pyvar CFLAGS`"
+        export PYLDFLAGS="`pyvar SHLIBS`"
+        export PYVERSIONS=$v
+        export USEPY=$v
+        export MACH=$ARCH
+        export TRIPLET=aarch64-unknown-solaris2
+        export TARGET=install
+
         logmsg "--- build"
-        logcmd python setup.py install
-        logmsg "--- modules"
-        logcmd make -e \
-            MACH=$ARCH \
+
+        logcmd $MAKE -e install-cmd \
+            || logerr "make install-cmd failed"
+
+        logcmd $MAKE -C modules -e install \
+            || logerr "make install failed"
+
+        logmsg "--- external modules"
+
+        logcmd $MAKE -e \
             REQUIREMENTS=requirements-aarch64.txt \
-            TARGET=install modules/$PYTHONVER
+            extmodules/$PYTHONVER \
+            || logerr "make extmodules failed"
+
+        logmsg "--- FFI extensions"
+
+        logcmd $MAKE -e \
+            -C cffi_src/src/$v \
+            -f $PWD/cffi_src/Makefile.crossext \
+            install \
+            || logerr "make ffi extensions failed"
+
         python_cross_end
     done
 
     for d in po man svc web; do
         logmsg "--- running install in $d"
-        logcmd make -C $d -e install CODE_WS=$CODE_WS MACH=$ARCH \
-            || logerr "Failed to install $d"
+        logcmd $MAKE -C $d -e install || logerr "Failed to install $d"
     done
 
+    logmsg "--- running install in util"
+    logcmd $MAKE -C util -e \
+        SUBDIRS="misc publish/transforms" install \
+        || logerr "Failed to install $d"
+
     popd > /dev/null
     set_python_version $PYTHON3VER
 }
@@ -76,7 +115,7 @@ build() {
 package() {
     pushd $TMPDIR/$BUILDDIR/pkg/src/pkg > /dev/null
     note -n "Packaging"
-    logcmd make publish-pkgs \
+    logcmd $MAKE publish-pkgs \
         BUILDNUM=$BUILDNUM \
         PKGSEND_OPTS="" \
         PKGPUBLISHER=$PKGPUBLISHER \
diff --git a/build/pkg/build.sh b/build/pkg/build.sh
index 2296d162f..e31c8c90b 100755
--- a/build/pkg/build.sh
+++ b/build/pkg/build.sh
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ BUILD_DEPENDS_IPS="
     text/intltool
 "
 
+# We use the native illumos parallel make for this
+MAKE=$USRBIN/dmake
+
 # Respect environmental overrides for these to ease development.
 : ${PKG_SOURCE_REPO:=$OOCEGITHUB/pkg5}
 : ${PKG_SOURCE_BRANCH:=r$RELVER}
@@ -71,18 +74,17 @@ clone_source() {
 
 build() {
     pushd $TMPDIR/$BUILDDIR/pkg/src > /dev/null || logerr "Cannot chdir"
-    logmsg "--- build"
-    logcmd make clean
-    logcmd make || logerr "make failed"
+    logmsg "--- clean"
+    logcmd $MAKE clean
     logmsg "--- install"
-    logcmd make install || logerr "install failed"
+    logcmd $MAKE install || logerr "install failed"
     popd > /dev/null
 }
 
 package() {
     pushd $TMPDIR/$BUILDDIR/pkg/src/pkg > /dev/null
     logmsg "--- packaging"
-    logcmd make check publish-pkgs \
+    logcmd $MAKE check publish-pkgs \
         BUILDNUM=$BUILDNUM \
         PKGSEND_OPTS="" \
         PKGPUBLISHER=$PKGPUBLISHER \