diff --git a/src/bootstrap/test.rs b/src/bootstrap/test.rs
index 058ff429e80f1..f9c5837b7d613 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/test.rs
+++ b/src/bootstrap/test.rs
@@ -1535,7 +1535,10 @@ note: if you're sure you want to do this, please open an issue as to why. In the
         flags.extend(builder.config.cmd.rustc_args().iter().map(|s| s.to_string()));
 
         if let Some(linker) = builder.linker(target) {
-            cmd.arg("--linker").arg(linker);
+            cmd.arg("--target-linker").arg(linker);
+        }
+        if let Some(linker) = builder.linker(compiler.host) {
+            cmd.arg("--host-linker").arg(linker);
         }
 
         let mut hostflags = flags.clone();
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
index 98b27a5c6b60a..d2f494942cf9b 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
@@ -313,7 +313,8 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub cflags: String,
     pub cxxflags: String,
     pub ar: String,
-    pub linker: Option<String>,
+    pub target_linker: Option<String>,
+    pub host_linker: Option<String>,
     pub llvm_components: String,
 
     /// Path to a NodeJS executable. Used for JS doctests, emscripten and WASM tests
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs
index cfb1ee34f679a..6a91d25a82436 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs
@@ -134,7 +134,8 @@ pub fn parse_config(args: Vec<String>) -> Config {
         .reqopt("", "cflags", "flags for the C compiler", "FLAGS")
         .reqopt("", "cxxflags", "flags for the CXX compiler", "FLAGS")
         .optopt("", "ar", "path to an archiver", "PATH")
-        .optopt("", "linker", "path to a linker", "PATH")
+        .optopt("", "target-linker", "path to a linker for the target", "PATH")
+        .optopt("", "host-linker", "path to a linker for the host", "PATH")
         .reqopt("", "llvm-components", "list of LLVM components built in", "LIST")
         .optopt("", "llvm-bin-dir", "Path to LLVM's `bin` directory", "PATH")
         .optopt("", "nodejs", "the name of nodejs", "PATH")
@@ -307,7 +308,8 @@ pub fn parse_config(args: Vec<String>) -> Config {
         cflags: matches.opt_str("cflags").unwrap(),
         cxxflags: matches.opt_str("cxxflags").unwrap(),
         ar: matches.opt_str("ar").unwrap_or_else(|| String::from("ar")),
-        linker: matches.opt_str("linker"),
+        target_linker: matches.opt_str("target-linker"),
+        host_linker: matches.opt_str("host-linker"),
         llvm_components: matches.opt_str("llvm-components").unwrap(),
         nodejs: matches.opt_str("nodejs"),
         npm: matches.opt_str("npm"),
@@ -350,7 +352,8 @@ pub fn log_config(config: &Config) {
     logv(c, format!("adb_test_dir: {:?}", config.adb_test_dir));
     logv(c, format!("adb_device_status: {}", config.adb_device_status));
     logv(c, format!("ar: {}", config.ar));
-    logv(c, format!("linker: {:?}", config.linker));
+    logv(c, format!("target-linker: {:?}", config.target_linker));
+    logv(c, format!("host-linker: {:?}", config.host_linker));
     logv(c, format!("verbose: {}", config.verbose));
     logv(c, format!("format: {:?}", config.format));
     logv(c, "\n".to_string());
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs
index e55c82c4b6340..0fa5c54ae8e68 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/runtest.rs
@@ -1570,7 +1570,7 @@ impl<'test> TestCx<'test> {
             rustdoc.arg("--output-format").arg("json").arg("-Zunstable-options");
         }
 
-        if let Some(ref linker) = self.config.linker {
+        if let Some(ref linker) = self.config.target_linker {
             rustdoc.arg(format!("-Clinker={}", linker));
         }
 
@@ -2083,10 +2083,15 @@ impl<'test> TestCx<'test> {
 
         if self.props.force_host {
             self.maybe_add_external_args(&mut rustc, &self.config.host_rustcflags);
+            if !is_rustdoc {
+                if let Some(ref linker) = self.config.host_linker {
+                    rustc.arg(format!("-Clinker={}", linker));
+                }
+            }
         } else {
             self.maybe_add_external_args(&mut rustc, &self.config.target_rustcflags);
             if !is_rustdoc {
-                if let Some(ref linker) = self.config.linker {
+                if let Some(ref linker) = self.config.target_linker {
                     rustc.arg(format!("-Clinker={}", linker));
                 }
             }
@@ -3039,7 +3044,7 @@ impl<'test> TestCx<'test> {
             cmd.env("NODE", node);
         }
 
-        if let Some(ref linker) = self.config.linker {
+        if let Some(ref linker) = self.config.target_linker {
             cmd.env("RUSTC_LINKER", linker);
         }