diff --git a/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_d2000/Kconfig.defconfig.series b/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_d2000/Kconfig.defconfig.series
index bf2c9c0cc64..8749230f643 100644
--- a/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_d2000/Kconfig.defconfig.series
+++ b/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_d2000/Kconfig.defconfig.series
@@ -12,10 +12,6 @@ config SOC_SERIES
 config X86_IAMCU
         def_bool y
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-        default "iamcu" if X86_IAMCU
-        default "" if !X86_IAMCU
-
 config SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC
 	default 32000000
 
diff --git a/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_se/Kconfig.defconfig.series b/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_se/Kconfig.defconfig.series
index 58beff37013..a8685ccfe5c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_se/Kconfig.defconfig.series
+++ b/arch/x86/soc/intel_quark/quark_se/Kconfig.defconfig.series
@@ -15,10 +15,6 @@ config X86_IAMCU
 config X86_NO_MELTDOWN
 	def_bool y
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-	default "iamcu" if X86_IAMCU
-	default "" if !X86_IAMCU
-
 config	SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC
 	default 32000000
 
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/Kconfig b/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
index c87763afd8c..6a3f00cb3df 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/Kconfig
@@ -105,10 +105,6 @@ config XTENSA_ASM2
 	for SMP.  Assumes/requires hardware that implements the
 	register window extension, however.
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-	string
-	default RG-2016.4-linux
-
 gsource "arch/xtensa/soc/*/Kconfig"
 
 endmenu
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/soc/D_108mini/Kconfig.defconfig b/arch/xtensa/soc/D_108mini/Kconfig.defconfig
index a54ba5e5220..6f63e8f75f6 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/soc/D_108mini/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/soc/D_108mini/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -13,8 +13,4 @@ config SOC
 config IRQ_OFFLOAD_INTNUM
 	default 7
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-	string
-	default RF-2016.4-linux
-
 endif
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/soc/D_212GP/Kconfig.defconfig b/arch/xtensa/soc/D_212GP/Kconfig.defconfig
index 6156093c3b6..880bddd6e35 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/soc/D_212GP/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/soc/D_212GP/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -13,8 +13,4 @@ config SOC
 config IRQ_OFFLOAD_INTNUM
 	default 7
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-	string
-	default RF-2016.4-linux
-
 endif
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/soc/D_233L/Kconfig.defconfig b/arch/xtensa/soc/D_233L/Kconfig.defconfig
index dac0f7fe959..d4aa5da7d22 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/soc/D_233L/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/soc/D_233L/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -13,8 +13,4 @@ config SOC
 config IRQ_OFFLOAD_INTNUM
 	default 7
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-	string
-	default RF-2016.4-linux
-
 endif
diff --git a/arch/xtensa/soc/intel_s1000/Kconfig.defconfig b/arch/xtensa/soc/intel_s1000/Kconfig.defconfig
index 549ab34803b..2b2ff302841 100644
--- a/arch/xtensa/soc/intel_s1000/Kconfig.defconfig
+++ b/arch/xtensa/soc/intel_s1000/Kconfig.defconfig
@@ -12,8 +12,4 @@ config SOC
 config IRQ_OFFLOAD_INTNUM
 	default 0
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-	string
-	default RF-2015.3-linux
-
 endif
diff --git a/boards/x86/qemu_x86/qemu_x86_iamcu_defconfig b/boards/x86/qemu_x86/qemu_x86_iamcu_defconfig
index 19b800053da..b75eab3da8b 100644
--- a/boards/x86/qemu_x86/qemu_x86_iamcu_defconfig
+++ b/boards/x86/qemu_x86/qemu_x86_iamcu_defconfig
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ CONFIG_SERIAL=y
 CONFIG_UART_NS16550=y
 CONFIG_UART_CONSOLE=y
 CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC=25000000
-CONFIG_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT="iamcu"
 CONFIG_X86_IAMCU=y
 CONFIG_XIP=y
 CONFIG_X86_MMU=y
diff --git a/boards/xtensa/qemu_xtensa/qemu_xtensa_defconfig b/boards/xtensa/qemu_xtensa/qemu_xtensa_defconfig
index 7674a205e59..464abb0379f 100644
--- a/boards/xtensa/qemu_xtensa/qemu_xtensa_defconfig
+++ b/boards/xtensa/qemu_xtensa/qemu_xtensa_defconfig
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ CONFIG_BOARD_QEMU_XTENSA=y
 CONFIG_CONSOLE=y
 CONFIG_SOC_XTENSA_SAMPLE_CONTROLLER=y
 CONFIG_SYS_CLOCK_HW_CYCLES_PER_SEC=10000000
-CONFIG_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT=""
 CONFIG_STACK_SENTINEL=y
 CONFIG_SW_ISR_TABLE=y
 CONFIG_GEN_ISR_TABLES=y
diff --git a/cmake/toolchain/zephyr.cmake b/cmake/toolchain/zephyr.cmake
index 95fee809744..2e1bd3e2f17 100644
--- a/cmake/toolchain/zephyr.cmake
+++ b/cmake/toolchain/zephyr.cmake
@@ -13,13 +13,14 @@ if("${ARCH}" STREQUAL "arm")
   set(CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET   arm-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-eabi)
   set(SYSROOT_TARGET       armv5-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-eabi)
 
-elseif(CONFIG_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT STREQUAL "iamcu")
-  set(CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET  i586-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elfiamcu)
-  set(SYSROOT_TARGET       iamcu-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elfiamcu)
-
 elseif("${ARCH}" STREQUAL "x86")
-  set(CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET i586-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elf)
-  set(SYSROOT_TARGET       i586-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elf)
+  if(CONFIG_X86_IAMCU)
+    set(CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET  i586-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elfiamcu)
+    set(SYSROOT_TARGET       iamcu-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elfiamcu)
+  else()
+    set(CROSS_COMPILE_TARGET i586-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elf)
+    set(SYSROOT_TARGET       i586-${TOOLCHAIN_VENDOR}-elf)
+  endif()
 
 elseif("${ARCH}" STREQUAL "xtensa")
   set(SYSROOT_DIR ${ZEPHYR_SDK_INSTALL_DIR}/sysroots/${SYSROOT_TARGET}/usr)
diff --git a/misc/Kconfig b/misc/Kconfig
index cc6e9c4f6f1..c548f8357b8 100644
--- a/misc/Kconfig
+++ b/misc/Kconfig
@@ -178,12 +178,6 @@ config COMPILER_OPT
 	  and can be used to change compiler optimization, warning and error
 	  messages, and so on.
 
-config TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT
-	string "Cross-compiler variant name"
-	help
-	  For optimized compilers with reduced features, specify the name
-	  of the variant.
-
 config CPLUSPLUS
 	bool "Enable C++ support for the application"
 	default n
diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/object_footprint/prj10.conf b/tests/benchmarks/object_footprint/prj10.conf
index 9e3a4e70fe8..451bf945853 100644
--- a/tests/benchmarks/object_footprint/prj10.conf
+++ b/tests/benchmarks/object_footprint/prj10.conf
@@ -13,5 +13,4 @@ CONFIG_OBJECTS_LIFO=y
 CONFIG_OBJECTS_FIFO=y
 CONFIG_OBJECTS_STACK=y
 CONFIG_STATIC_ISR=n
-#CONFIG_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT="iamcu"
 CONFIG_KERNEL_BIN_NAME="prj10"