diff --git a/ext/apt_pkg/configuration.cpp b/ext/apt_pkg/configuration.cpp
index a27f561..75d87fd 100644
--- a/ext/apt_pkg/configuration.cpp
+++ b/ext/apt_pkg/configuration.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,19 @@
 #include "configuration.h"
 
+/*
+ * call-seq: architecture() -> string
+ *
+ * Return the native architecture for this system.
+ *
+ *   Debian::AptPkg::Configuration.architecture # => "amd64"
+ *
+ **/
+static VALUE
+architecture(VALUE self)
+{
+  return rb_str_new2(_config->Find("APT::Architecture").c_str());
+}
+
 /*
  * call-seq: architectures() -> array
  *
@@ -170,6 +184,8 @@ init_apt_pkg_configuration()
   VALUE rb_mDebianAptPkgConfiguration =
     rb_define_module_under(rb_mDebianAptPkg, "Configuration");
 
+  rb_define_singleton_method(rb_mDebianAptPkgConfiguration, "architecture",
+                             RUBY_METHOD_FUNC(architecture), 0);
   rb_define_singleton_method(rb_mDebianAptPkgConfiguration, "architectures",
                              RUBY_METHOD_FUNC(architectures), 0);
   rb_define_singleton_method(rb_mDebianAptPkgConfiguration,
diff --git a/test/apt_pkg_configuration_test.rb b/test/apt_pkg_configuration_test.rb
index 7438d8d..328d122 100644
--- a/test/apt_pkg_configuration_test.rb
+++ b/test/apt_pkg_configuration_test.rb
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@
     Debian::AptPkg.init
   end
 
+  it 'architecture return a string' do
+    arch = Debian::AptPkg::Configuration.architecture
+    _(arch).must_be_instance_of String
+    _(arch).wont_be_empty
+  end
+
   it 'architectures return an array' do
     arches = Debian::AptPkg::Configuration.architectures
     _(arches).must_be_instance_of Array