diff --git a/__tests__/distributors/zulu-installer.test.ts b/__tests__/distributors/zulu-installer.test.ts
index 6cadf6cf..863a1b79 100644
--- a/__tests__/distributors/zulu-installer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/distributors/zulu-installer.test.ts
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
         packageType: 'jdk',
         checkLatest: false
       },
-      '?os=macos&archive_type=tar.gz&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=x86&release_status=ga&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
+      '?os=macos&archive_type=tar.gz&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=i686&release_status=ga&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
     ],
     [
       {
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
         packageType: 'jdk',
         checkLatest: false
       },
-      '?os=macos&archive_type=tar.gz&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=x86&release_status=ea&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
+      '?os=macos&archive_type=tar.gz&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=i686&release_status=ea&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
     ],
     [
       {
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
 describe('getArchitectureOptions', () => {
   it.each([
     [{architecture: 'x64'}, 'x64'],
-    [{architecture: 'x86'}, 'x86'],
+    [{architecture: 'x86'}, 'i686'],
     [{architecture: 'aarch64'}, 'aarch64'],
     [{architecture: 'arm64'}, 'aarch64'],
     [{architecture: 'arm'}, 'arm']
diff --git a/__tests__/distributors/zulu-linux-installer.test.ts b/__tests__/distributors/zulu-linux-installer.test.ts
index 4e3350aa..547bf74a 100644
--- a/__tests__/distributors/zulu-linux-installer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/distributors/zulu-linux-installer.test.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
         packageType: 'jdk',
         checkLatest: false
       },
-      '?os=linux_glibc&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=x86&release_status=ga&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
+      '?os=linux_glibc&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=i686&release_status=ga&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
     ],
     [
       {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
         packageType: 'jdk',
         checkLatest: false
       },
-      '?os=linux_glibc&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=x86&release_status=ea&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
+      '?os=linux_glibc&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=i686&release_status=ea&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
     ],
     [
       {
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
 describe('getArchitectureOptions', () => {
   it.each([
     [{architecture: 'x64'}, 'x64'],
-    [{architecture: 'x86'}, 'x86'],
+    [{architecture: 'x86'}, 'i686'],
     [{architecture: 'aarch64'}, 'aarch64'],
     [{architecture: 'arm64'}, 'aarch64'],
     [{architecture: 'arm'}, 'arm']
diff --git a/__tests__/distributors/zulu-windows-installer.test.ts b/__tests__/distributors/zulu-windows-installer.test.ts
index 22a07d3c..c6749edb 100644
--- a/__tests__/distributors/zulu-windows-installer.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/distributors/zulu-windows-installer.test.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
         packageType: 'jdk',
         checkLatest: false
       },
-      '?os=windows&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=x86&release_status=ga&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
+      '?os=windows&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=i686&release_status=ga&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
     ],
     [
       {
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
         packageType: 'jdk',
         checkLatest: false
       },
-      '?os=windows&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=x86&release_status=ea&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
+      '?os=windows&archive_type=zip&java_package_type=jdk&javafx_bundled=false&crac_supported=false&arch=i686&release_status=ea&availability_types=ca&page=1&page_size=100'
     ],
     [
       {
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ describe('getAvailableVersions', () => {
 describe('getArchitectureOptions', () => {
   it.each([
     [{architecture: 'x64'}, 'x64'],
-    [{architecture: 'x86'}, 'x86'],
+    [{architecture: 'x86'}, 'i686'],
     [{architecture: 'aarch64'}, 'aarch64'],
     [{architecture: 'arm64'}, 'aarch64'],
     [{architecture: 'arm'}, 'arm']
diff --git a/dist/setup/index.js b/dist/setup/index.js
index 0b129029..4c6d65f1 100644
--- a/dist/setup/index.js
+++ b/dist/setup/index.js
@@ -131465,7 +131465,11 @@ class ZuluDistribution extends JavaBase {
             case 'x64':
                 return 'x64';
             case 'x86':
-                return 'x86';
+                // The Azul Metadata API's "x86" value returns both 32-bit (i686) and
+                // 64-bit (x64) packages, which are indistinguishable by version and
+                // would let a 32-bit request resolve to a 64-bit JDK. Use "i686" to
+                // target only genuine 32-bit builds, matching the legacy API behavior.
+                return 'i686';
             case 'aarch64':
             case 'arm64':
                 return 'aarch64';
diff --git a/src/distributions/zulu/installer.ts b/src/distributions/zulu/installer.ts
index 807e978c..f587b193 100644
--- a/src/distributions/zulu/installer.ts
+++ b/src/distributions/zulu/installer.ts
@@ -185,7 +185,11 @@ export class ZuluDistribution extends JavaBase {
       case 'x64':
         return 'x64';
       case 'x86':
-        return 'x86';
+        // The Azul Metadata API's "x86" value returns both 32-bit (i686) and
+        // 64-bit (x64) packages, which are indistinguishable by version and
+        // would let a 32-bit request resolve to a 64-bit JDK. Use "i686" to
+        // target only genuine 32-bit builds, matching the legacy API behavior.
+        return 'i686';
       case 'aarch64':
       case 'arm64':
         return 'aarch64';