diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/c/clang.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/c/clang.py
index 12922b4dfa..a89daf175d 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/c/clang.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/c/clang.py
@@ -193,14 +193,14 @@ def prepare_step(self, *args, **kwargs):
         build_targets = self.cfg['build_targets']
         if build_targets is None:
             arch = get_cpu_architecture()
-            default_targets = DEFAULT_TARGETS_MAP.get(arch, None)
-            if default_targets:
+            try:
+                default_targets = DEFAULT_TARGETS_MAP[arch][:]
                 # If CUDA is included as a dep, add NVPTX as a target (could also support AMDGPU if we knew how)
                 if get_software_root("CUDA"):
                     default_targets += ["NVPTX"]
                 self.cfg['build_targets'] = build_targets = default_targets
                 self.log.debug("Using %s as default build targets for CPU/GPU architecture %s.", default_targets, arch)
-            else:
+            except KeyError:
                 raise EasyBuildError("No default build targets defined for CPU architecture %s.", arch)
 
         # carry on with empty list from this point forward if no build targets are specified
diff --git a/easybuild/easyblocks/l/llvm.py b/easybuild/easyblocks/l/llvm.py
index 6d67e5f5c3..afb1cfdcf5 100644
--- a/easybuild/easyblocks/l/llvm.py
+++ b/easybuild/easyblocks/l/llvm.py
@@ -65,11 +65,11 @@ def configure_step(self):
         build_targets = self.cfg['build_targets']
         if build_targets is None:
             arch = get_cpu_architecture()
-            default_targets = DEFAULT_TARGETS_MAP.get(arch, None)
-            if default_targets:
+            try:
+                default_targets = DEFAULT_TARGETS_MAP[arch][:]
                 self.cfg['build_targets'] = build_targets = default_targets
                 self.log.debug("Using %s as default build targets for CPU architecture %s.", default_targets, arch)
-            else:
+            except KeyError:
                 raise EasyBuildError("No default build targets defined for CPU architecture %s.", arch)
 
         unknown_targets = [target for target in build_targets if target not in CLANG_TARGETS]