diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/build_options.rb b/Library/Homebrew/build_options.rb
index 44b6440dc6..d9020ecbad 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/build_options.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/build_options.rb
@@ -84,13 +84,6 @@ class BuildOptions
     include?("c++11") && option_defined?("c++11")
   end
 
-  # True if a {Formula} is being built in 32-bit/x86 mode.
-  # This is needed for some use-cases though we prefer to build Universal
-  # when a 32-bit version is needed.
-  def build_32_bit?
-    include?("32-bit") && option_defined?("32-bit")
-  end
-
   # @private
   def used_options
     @options & @args
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/compat.rb b/Library/Homebrew/compat.rb
index 0b81e037ab..5d78c715f1 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/compat.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/compat.rb
@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@ require "compat/xcode"
 require "compat/software_spec"
 require "compat/utils"
 require "compat/json"
+require "compat/ARGV"
+require "compat/build_options"
+require "compat/tab"
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/compat/ARGV.rb b/Library/Homebrew/compat/ARGV.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..23d02ce1a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/compat/ARGV.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+module HomebrewArgvExtension
+  def build_32_bit?
+    # odeprecated "ARGV.build_32_bit?"
+    include? "--32-bit"
+  end
+end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/compat/build_options.rb b/Library/Homebrew/compat/build_options.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52aa9b9516
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/compat/build_options.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+class BuildOptions
+  def build_32_bit?
+    # odeprecated "build.build_32_bit?"
+    include?("32-bit") && option_defined?("32-bit")
+  end
+end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/compat/tab.rb b/Library/Homebrew/compat/tab.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..58fdc49137
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/compat/tab.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+class Tab < OpenStruct
+  def build_32_bit?
+    # odeprecated "Tab.build_32_bit?"
+    include?("32-bit")
+  end
+end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb b/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb
index 540925947d..b01335f83f 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/dev-cmd/audit.rb
@@ -448,8 +448,13 @@ class FormulaAuditor
 
   def audit_options
     formula.options.each do |o|
+      if o.name != "32-bit"
+        problem "macOS has been 64-bit only since 10.6 so 32-bit options are deprecated."
+      end
+
       next unless @strict
-      if o.name !~ /with(out)?-/ && o.name != "c++11" && o.name != "universal" && o.name != "32-bit"
+
+      if o.name !~ /with(out)?-/ && o.name != "c++11" && o.name != "universal"
         problem "Options should begin with with/without. Migrate '--#{o.name}' with `deprecated_option`."
       end
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/extend/ARGV.rb b/Library/Homebrew/extend/ARGV.rb
index 3e4e7f5c7a..d361a99a8f 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/extend/ARGV.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/extend/ARGV.rb
@@ -229,13 +229,6 @@ module HomebrewArgvExtension
     include? "--universal"
   end
 
-  # Request a 32-bit only build.
-  # This is needed for some use-cases though we prefer to build Universal
-  # when a 32-bit version is needed.
-  def build_32_bit?
-    include? "--32-bit"
-  end
-
   def build_bottle?
     include?("--build-bottle") || !ENV["HOMEBREW_BUILD_BOTTLE"].nil?
   end
@@ -294,7 +287,6 @@ module HomebrewArgvExtension
 
     build_flags << "--HEAD" if build_head?
     build_flags << "--universal" if build_universal?
-    build_flags << "--32-bit" if build_32_bit?
     build_flags << "--build-bottle" if build_bottle?
     build_flags << "--build-from-source" if build_from_source?
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
index 0c230f643d..fb07f6c550 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
@@ -13,9 +13,8 @@ class SoftwareSpec
   extend Forwardable
 
   PREDEFINED_OPTIONS = {
-    :universal => Option.new("universal", "Build a universal binary"),
-    :cxx11     => Option.new("c++11", "Build using C++11 mode"),
-    "32-bit"   => Option.new("32-bit", "Build 32-bit only"),
+    universal: Option.new("universal", "Build a universal binary"),
+    cxx11:     Option.new("c++11",     "Build using C++11 mode"),
   }.freeze
 
   attr_reader :name, :full_name, :owner
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb b/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb
index d355e838d7..40626bad1e 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb
@@ -218,10 +218,6 @@ class Tab < OpenStruct
     include?("c++11")
   end
 
-  def build_32_bit?
-    include?("32-bit")
-  end
-
   def head?
     spec == :head
   end