diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 32eb501f1..563023123 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -794,9 +794,7 @@ ifeq (${ARCH},aarch32)
     endif
     ifeq (${ENABLE_SVE_FOR_NS},1)
         # Warning instead of error due to CI dependency on this
-        $(warning "ENABLE_SVE_FOR_NS cannot be used with ARCH=aarch32")
-        $(warning "Forced ENABLE_SVE_FOR_NS=0")
-        override ENABLE_SVE_FOR_NS	:= 0
+        $(error "ENABLE_SVE_FOR_NS cannot be used with ARCH=aarch32")
     endif
 endif
 
diff --git a/make_helpers/defaults.mk b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
index 72f5e3301..551b68977 100644
--- a/make_helpers/defaults.mk
+++ b/make_helpers/defaults.mk
@@ -327,6 +327,10 @@ AMU_RESTRICT_COUNTERS		:= 0
 
 # Enable SVE for non-secure world by default
 ENABLE_SVE_FOR_NS		:= 1
+# SVE is only supported on AArch64 so disable it on AArch32.
+ifeq (${ARCH},aarch32)
+	override ENABLE_SVE_FOR_NS	:= 0
+endif
 ENABLE_SVE_FOR_SWD		:= 0
 
 # SME defaults to disabled