diff --git a/capa/features/extractors/ida/extractor.py b/capa/features/extractors/ida/extractor.py
index 93f2ce55..7d00c7ef 100644
--- a/capa/features/extractors/ida/extractor.py
+++ b/capa/features/extractors/ida/extractor.py
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@
 # Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed under the License
 #  is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
-import contextlib
-
 import idaapi
-import ida_loader
 
 import capa.ida.helpers
 import capa.features.extractors.elf
@@ -17,26 +14,9 @@ import capa.features.extractors.ida.insn
 import capa.features.extractors.ida.global_
 import capa.features.extractors.ida.function
 import capa.features.extractors.ida.basicblock
-from capa.features.common import OS, OS_WINDOWS
 from capa.features.extractors.base_extractor import FeatureExtractor
 
 
-def extract_os():
-    format_name = ida_loader.get_file_type_name()
-
-    if "PE" in format_name:
-        yield OS(OS_WINDOWS), 0x0
-
-    elif "ELF" in format_name:
-        with contextlib.closing(capa.ida.helpers.IDAIO()) as f:
-            os = capa.features.extractors.elf.detect_elf_os(f)
-
-        yield OS(os), 0x0
-
-    else:
-        raise NotImplementedError("file format: %s", format_name)
-
-
 class FunctionHandle:
     """this acts like an idaapi.func_t but with __int__()"""
 
@@ -80,7 +60,7 @@ class IdaFeatureExtractor(FeatureExtractor):
     def __init__(self):
         super(IdaFeatureExtractor, self).__init__()
         self.global_features = []
-        self.global_features.extend(extract_os())
+        self.global_features.extend(capa.features.extractors.ida.global_.extract_os())
         self.global_features.extend(capa.features.extractors.ida.global_.extract_arch())
 
     def get_base_address(self):
diff --git a/capa/features/extractors/ida/global_.py b/capa/features/extractors/ida/global_.py
index 1919dd5d..b6f525f6 100644
--- a/capa/features/extractors/ida/global_.py
+++ b/capa/features/extractors/ida/global_.py
@@ -1,7 +1,43 @@
-import idaapi
+import logging
+import contextlib
 
+import idaapi
+import ida_loader
+
+import capa.ida.helpers
+import capa.features.extractors.elf
+from capa.features.common import OS, OS_WINDOWS
 from capa.features.common import ARCH_I386, ARCH_AMD64, Arch
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def extract_os():
+    format_name = ida_loader.get_file_type_name()
+
+    if "PE" in format_name:
+        yield OS(OS_WINDOWS), 0x0
+
+    elif "ELF" in format_name:
+        with contextlib.closing(capa.ida.helpers.IDAIO()) as f:
+            os = capa.features.extractors.elf.detect_elf_os(f)
+
+        yield OS(os), 0x0
+
+    else:
+        # we likely end up here:
+        #  1. handling shellcode, or
+        #  2. handling a new file format (e.g. macho)
+        #
+        # for (1) we can't do much - its shellcode and all bets are off.
+        # we could maybe accept a futher CLI argument to specify the OS,
+        # but i think this would be rarely used.
+        # rules that rely on OS conditions will fail to match on shellcode.
+        #
+        # for (2), this logic will need to be updated as the format is implemented.
+        logger.debug("unsupported file format: %s, will not guess OS", format_name)
+        return
+
 
 def extract_arch():
     info = idaapi.get_inf_structure()
@@ -10,6 +46,12 @@ def extract_arch():
     elif info.procName == "metapc" and info.is_32bit():
         yield Arch(ARCH_I386), 0x0
     elif info.procName == "metapc":
-        raise NotImplementedError("unsupported architecture: non-32-bit nor non-64-bit intel")
+        logger.debug("unsupported architecture: non-32-bit nor non-64-bit intel")
+        return
     else:
-        raise NotImplementedError("unsupported architecture: %s" % (info.procName))
+        # we likely end up here:
+        #  1. handling a new architecture (e.g. aarch64)
+        #
+        # for (1), this logic will need to be updated as the format is implemented.
+        logger.debug("unsupported architecture: %s", info.procName)
+        return