--- a/c++/src/app/blastdb/makeblastdb.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/app/blastdb/makeblastdb.cpp
@@ -298,7 +298,13 @@ void CMakeBlastDBApp::Init()
     arg_desc->AddDefaultKey("blastdb_version", "version",
                              "Version of BLAST database to be created",
                              CArgDescriptions::eInteger,
-                             NStr::NumericToString(static_cast<int>(eBDB_Version5)));
+                             NStr::NumericToString(static_cast<int>
+#ifdef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+						   (eBDB_Version4)
+#else
+						   (eBDB_Version5)
+#endif
+						   ));
     arg_desc->SetConstraint("blastdb_version",
                             new CArgAllow_Integers(eBDB_Version4, eBDB_Version5));
     arg_desc->AddDefaultKey("max_file_sz", "number_of_bytes",
--- a/c++/src/app/blastdb/makeprofiledb.cpp
+++ b/c++/src/app/blastdb/makeprofiledb.cpp
@@ -418,7 +418,13 @@ void CMakeProfileDBApp::x_SetupArgDescri
     arg_desc->AddDefaultKey("blastdb_version", "version",
                              "Version of BLAST database to be created",
                              CArgDescriptions::eInteger,
-                             NStr::NumericToString(static_cast<int>(eBDB_Version5)));
+                             NStr::NumericToString(static_cast<int>
+#ifdef WORDS_BIGENDIAN
+						   (eBDB_Version4)
+#else
+						   (eBDB_Version5)
+#endif
+						   ));
     arg_desc->SetConstraint("blastdb_version",
                             new CArgAllow_Integers(eBDB_Version4, eBDB_Version5));
 
