diff --git a/compiler/aasmtai.pas b/compiler/aasmtai.pas
index fe91262d8f..0e5bfe8310 100644
--- a/compiler/aasmtai.pas
+++ b/compiler/aasmtai.pas
@@ -340,7 +340,12 @@ interface
         { supported by recent clang-based assemblers for data-in-code  }
         asd_data_region, asd_end_data_region,
         { ARM }
-        asd_thumb_func,asd_code
+        asd_thumb_func,asd_code,
+        { restricts the assembler only to those instructions, which are
+          available on the specified CPU; this represents directives such as
+          NASM's 'CPU 686' or MASM/TASM's '.686p'. Might not be supported by
+          all assemblers. }
+        asd_cpu
       );
 
       TAsmSehDirective=(
@@ -376,7 +381,8 @@ interface
         'data_region','end_data_region',
         { ARM }
         'thumb_func',
-        'code'
+        'code',
+        'cpu'
       );
       sehdirectivestr : array[TAsmSehDirective] of string[16]=(
         '.seh_proc','.seh_endproc',
diff --git a/compiler/aggas.pas b/compiler/aggas.pas
index 8635e49305..22d300b5ba 100644
--- a/compiler/aggas.pas
+++ b/compiler/aggas.pas
@@ -1522,7 +1522,12 @@ implementation
 
     procedure TGNUAssembler.WriteDirectiveName(dir: TAsmDirective);
     begin
-      writer.AsmWrite('.'+directivestr[dir]+' ');
+      { TODO: implement asd_cpu for GAS => usually .arch or .cpu, but the CPU
+        name has to be translated as well }
+      if dir=asd_cpu then
+        writer.AsmWrite(asminfo^.comment+' CPU ')
+      else
+        writer.AsmWrite('.'+directivestr[dir]+' ');
     end;
 
 
diff --git a/compiler/x86/agx86int.pas b/compiler/x86/agx86int.pas
index 352f0a48b3..3e41ad6e02 100644
--- a/compiler/x86/agx86int.pas
+++ b/compiler/x86/agx86int.pas
@@ -859,6 +859,9 @@ implementation
                    writer.AsmWrite('import ');
                  asd_extern :
                    writer.AsmWrite('EXTRN ');
+                 asd_cpu :
+                   { TODO: implement this properly for TASM/MASM/WASM (.686p, etc.) }
+                   writer.AsmWrite(asminfo^.comment+' CPU ');
                  else
                    internalerror(200509192);
                end;
diff --git a/compiler/x86/agx86nsm.pas b/compiler/x86/agx86nsm.pas
index e96a29ecd4..c35d128fe6 100644
--- a/compiler/x86/agx86nsm.pas
+++ b/compiler/x86/agx86nsm.pas
@@ -80,6 +80,37 @@ interface
         {$i r386nasm.inc}
 {$elseif defined(i8086)}
         {$i r8086nasm.inc}
+{$endif}
+      );
+      nasm_cpu_name : array[tcputype] of string = (
+{$if defined(x86_64)}
+        '',            // cpu_none,
+        'X64',         // cpu_athlon64,
+        'X64',         // cpu_core_i,
+        'X64',         // cpu_core_avx,
+        'X64'          // cpu_core_avx2
+{$elseif defined(i386)}
+        '',         // cpu_none,
+        '386',      // cpu_386,
+        'PENTIUM',  // cpu_Pentium,
+        'P2',       // cpu_Pentium2,
+        'P3',       // cpu_Pentium3,
+        'P4',       // cpu_Pentium4,
+        'P4',       // cpu_PentiumM,
+        'PRESCOTT', // cpu_core_i,
+        'PRESCOTT', // cpu_core_avx,
+        'PRESCOTT'  // cpu_core_avx2
+{$elseif defined(i8086)}
+        '',        // cpu_none
+        '8086',    // cpu_8086
+        '186',     // cpu_186
+        '286',     // cpu_286
+        '386',     // cpu_386
+        'PENTIUM', // cpu_Pentium
+        'P2',      // cpu_Pentium2
+        'P3',      // cpu_Pentium3
+        'P4',      // cpu_Pentium4
+        'P4'       // cpu_PentiumM
 {$endif}
       );
 
@@ -641,6 +672,7 @@ interface
       fixed_opcode: TAsmOp;
       prefix, LastSecName  : string;
       LastAlign : Byte;
+      cpu: tcputype;
     begin
       if not assigned(p) then
        exit;
@@ -1074,21 +1106,41 @@ interface
            ait_directive :
              begin
                case tai_directive(hp).directive of
-                 asd_nasm_import :
-                   writer.AsmWrite('import ');
+                 asd_nasm_import,
                  asd_extern :
-                   writer.AsmWrite('EXTERN ');
+                   begin
+                     case tai_directive(hp).directive of
+                       asd_nasm_import :
+                         writer.AsmWrite('import ');
+                       asd_extern :
+                         writer.AsmWrite('EXTERN ');
+                       else
+                         internalerror(200509191);
+                     end;
+                     if tai_directive(hp).name<>'' then
+                       begin
+
+                         if SmartAsm then
+                           AddSymbol(tai_directive(hp).name,false);
+
+                         writer.AsmWrite(tai_directive(hp).name);
+                       end;
+                   end;
+                 asd_cpu :
+                   begin
+                     writer.AsmWrite('CPU ');
+                     for cpu:=low(tcputype) to high(tcputype) do
+                       begin
+                         if tai_directive(hp).name=CPUTypeStr[CPU] then
+                           begin
+                             writer.AsmWriteLn(nasm_cpu_name[cpu]);
+                             break;
+                           end;
+                       end;
+                   end;
                  else
                    internalerror(200509191);
                end;
-               if tai_directive(hp).name<>'' then
-                 begin
-
-                   if SmartAsm then
-                     AddSymbol(tai_directive(hp).name,false);
-
-                   writer.AsmWrite(tai_directive(hp).name);
-                 end;
                writer.AsmLn;
              end;
            ait_seh_directive :