diff --git a/System/EntropyNix.hs b/System/EntropyNix.hs
--- a/System/EntropyNix.hs
+++ b/System/EntropyNix.hs
@@ -24,7 +24,15 @@
 import Foreign.C.Types
 import Data.ByteString.Internal as B
 
+#ifdef arch_i386
+-- See .cabal wrt GCC 4.8.2 asm compilation bug
+#undef HAVE_RDRAND
+#endif
+
 #ifdef XEN
+#ifndef HAVE_RDRAND
+#error "The entropy package requires RDRAND support when using the halvm/Xen"
+#endif
 data CryptHandle = UseRdRand -- or die trying
 #else
 
@@ -108,4 +116,3 @@
 cpuHasRdRand :: IO Bool
 cpuHasRdRand = (/= 0) `fmap` c_cpu_has_rdrand
 #endif
-
diff --git a/cbits/rdrand.c b/cbits/rdrand.c
--- a/cbits/rdrand.c
+++ b/cbits/rdrand.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
      return (int) err;
 }
 
+#ifdef arch_x86_64
 // Returns 0 on success, non-zero on failure.
 int get_rand_bytes(uint8_t *therand, size_t len)
 {
@@ -51,5 +52,48 @@
     }
     return fail;
 }
+#endif /* x86-64 */
+
+#ifdef arch_i386
+// Returns 1 on success
+inline int _rdrand32_step(uint32_t *therand)
+{
+     unsigned char err;
+     asm volatile("rdrand %0 ; setc %1"
+                 : "=r" (*therand), "=qm" (err));
+     return (int) err;
+}
+
+int get_rand_bytes(uint8_t *therand, size_t len)
+{
+    int cnt;
+    int fail=0;
+    uint8_t *p = therand;
+    uint8_t *end = therand + len;
+    if((uint32_t)p % sizeof(uint32_t) != 0) {
+        uint32_t tmp;
+        fail |= !_rdrand32_step(&tmp);
+        while((uint32_t)p % sizeof(uint32_t) != 0 && p != end) {
+            *p = (uint8_t)(tmp & 0xFF);
+            tmp = tmp >> 8;
+            p++;
+        }
+    }
+    for(; p <= end - sizeof(uint32_t); p+=sizeof(uint32_t)) {
+        fail |= !_rdrand32_step((uint32_t *)p);
+    }
+    if(p != end) {
+        uint32_t tmp;
+        int cnt;
+        fail |= !_rdrand32_step(&tmp);
+        while(p != end) {
+            *p = (uint8_t)(tmp & 0xFF);
+            tmp = tmp >> 8;
+            p++;
+        }
+    }
+    return fail;
+}
+#endif /* i386 */
 
 #endif // RDRAND
diff --git a/cbits/rdrand.h b/cbits/rdrand.h
--- a/cbits/rdrand.h
+++ b/cbits/rdrand.h
@@ -2,11 +2,9 @@
 #ifdef HAVE_RDRAND
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-#ifdef arch_x86_64
 int cpu_has_rdrand()
 
 // Returns 0 on success, non-zero on failure.
 int get_rand_bytes(uint8_t *therand, size_t len)
-#endif /* arch_x86_64 */
 #endif // HAVE_RDRAND
 #endif // rdrand_h
diff --git a/entropy.cabal b/entropy.cabal
--- a/entropy.cabal
+++ b/entropy.cabal
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 name:           entropy
-version:        0.3
+version:        0.3.1
 description:    A platform independent method to obtain cryptographically strong entropy 
-                (urandom on Linux, CryptAPI on Windows, patches welcome). 
+                (RDRAND when available anywhere, urandom on nix, CryptAPI on Windows, patches welcome).
                 Users looking for cryptographically strong (number-theoretically
-                sound) PRNGs should see the 'DRBG' package too!
+                sound) PRNGs should see the 'DRBG' package too.
 synopsis:       A platform independent entropy source
 license:        BSD3
 license-file:   LICENSE
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 build-type:        Custom
 -- ^^ Test for RDRAND support using 'ghc'
 cabal-version:  >=1.10
-tested-with:    GHC == 7.6.3
+tested-with:    GHC == 7.8.2
 -- data-files:
 extra-source-files:   ./cbits/rdrand.c, ./cbits/rdrand.h, README.md
 
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 flag halvm
     description:        Build for the HaLVM
     default:            False
+
 library
   ghc-options:  -O2
   exposed-modules: System.Entropy
@@ -41,10 +42,14 @@
   default-language:    Haskell2010
   if(flag(halvm))
     cpp-options: -DXEN -DHAVE_RDRAND
+    cc-options:  -DXEN -DHAVE_RDRAND
   if arch(x86_64)
     cpp-options: -Darch_x86_64
+    -- gcc 4.8.2 on i386 fails to compile rdrand.c when using -fPIC!
     c-sources:    cbits/rdrand.c
     include-dirs: cbits
+  if arch(i386)
+    cpp-options: -Darch_i386
   if os(windows)
     cpp-options: -DisWindows
     extra-libraries: advapi32