diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none.rs
index c9f622820dea7..de92b167f00ec 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         executables: true,
         relocation_model: RelocModel::Static,
         disable_redzone: true,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         max_atomic_width: Some(128),
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
         unsupported_abis: super::arm_base::unsupported_abis(),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none_softfloat.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none_softfloat.rs
index 0811871c993aa..2566eeae14a69 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none_softfloat.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/aarch64_unknown_none_softfloat.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         executables: true,
         relocation_model: RelocModel::Static,
         disable_redzone: true,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         max_atomic_width: Some(128),
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
         unsupported_abis: super::arm_base::unsupported_abis(),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/apple_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/apple_base.rs
index bc2ec6709011a..45c5c1a16e9cc 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/apple_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/apple_base.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ pub fn opts(os: &str) -> TargetOptions {
         // macOS has -dead_strip, which doesn't rely on function_sections
         function_sections: false,
         dynamic_linking: true,
+        linker_is_gnu: false,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
         is_like_osx: true,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/avr_gnu_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/avr_gnu_base.rs
index 69ccce875ab0c..2cb2661a5265e 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/avr_gnu_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/avr_gnu_base.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ pub fn target(target_cpu: String) -> Target {
 
             linker: Some("avr-gcc".to_owned()),
             executables: true,
-            linker_is_gnu: true,
             eh_frame_header: false,
             pre_link_args: vec![(LinkerFlavor::Gcc, vec![format!("-mmcu={}", target_cpu)])]
                 .into_iter()
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/dragonfly_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/dragonfly_base.rs
index fb94498c131fd..e13a640d4d210 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/dragonfly_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/dragonfly_base.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
         relro_level: RelroLevel::Full,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/freebsd_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/freebsd_base.rs
index 5d3c28e5f29c9..bef2fce7c839b 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/freebsd_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/freebsd_base.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
         eliminate_frame_pointer: false, // FIXME 43575
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/fuchsia_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/fuchsia_base.rs
index 13264dffeb4ed..23a2e65749e11 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/fuchsia_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/fuchsia_base.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
         is_like_fuchsia: true,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         pre_link_args,
         pre_link_objects: crt_objects::new(&[
             (LinkOutputKind::DynamicNoPicExe, &["Scrt1.o"]),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/haiku_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/haiku_base.rs
index fae56f6a82dc8..2b95523d6f7b5 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/haiku_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/haiku_base.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
         relro_level: RelroLevel::Full,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         ..Default::default()
     }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_base.rs
index ad013047e6a13..75ca1f79b12cc 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_base.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         linker: Some("rust-lld".to_owned()),
         executables: true,
         has_elf_tls: true,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         pre_link_args,
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
         position_independent_executables: true,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_kernel_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_kernel_base.rs
index 6d18a14d6aec0..c55a46e69a833 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_kernel_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hermit_kernel_base.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         linker: Some("rust-lld".to_owned()),
         executables: true,
         has_elf_tls: true,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         pre_link_args,
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
         position_independent_executables: true,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/illumos_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/illumos_base.rs
index 2b8e046c46b0e..9d9da50be7a27 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/illumos_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/illumos_base.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         has_rpath: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
         is_like_solaris: true,
+        linker_is_gnu: false,
         limit_rdylib_exports: false, // Linker doesn't support this
         eliminate_frame_pointer: false,
         eh_frame_header: false,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/l4re_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/l4re_base.rs
index 65c343a5f2169..f6e3102f61762 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/l4re_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/l4re_base.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         executables: true,
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
         linker: Some("ld".to_string()),
+        linker_is_gnu: false,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
         ..Default::default()
     }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_base.rs
index 184659e22d986..af81bc714c743 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_base.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
         relro_level: RelroLevel::Full,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_kernel_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_kernel_base.rs
index 64f47b4aa9bbd..145aa4a589443 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_kernel_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/linux_kernel_base.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         // don't use probe-stack=inline-asm until rust#83139 and rust#84667 are resolved
         stack_probes: StackProbeType::Call,
         eliminate_frame_pointer: false,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
         needs_plt: true,
         relro_level: RelroLevel::Full,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mipsel_sony_psp.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mipsel_sony_psp.rs
index 08c290e6ff151..dc14e4bdf9428 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mipsel_sony_psp.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mipsel_sony_psp.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             cpu: "mips2".to_string(),
             executables: true,
             linker: Some("rust-lld".to_owned()),
-            linker_is_gnu: true,
             relocation_model: RelocModel::Static,
 
             // PSP FPU only supports single precision floats.
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs
index 4bffd6e8ddd35..f1bd8ff237d0a 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs
@@ -1086,7 +1086,7 @@ pub struct TargetOptions {
     /// Version of DWARF to use if not using the default.
     /// Useful because some platforms (osx, bsd) only want up to DWARF2.
     pub dwarf_version: Option<u32>,
-    /// Whether the linker support GNU-like arguments such as -O. Defaults to false.
+    /// Whether the linker support GNU-like arguments such as -O. Defaults to true.
     pub linker_is_gnu: bool,
     /// The MinGW toolchain has a known issue that prevents it from correctly
     /// handling COFF object files with more than 2<sup>15</sup> sections. Since each weak
@@ -1307,7 +1307,7 @@ impl Default for TargetOptions {
             is_like_fuchsia: false,
             is_like_wasm: false,
             dwarf_version: None,
-            linker_is_gnu: false,
+            linker_is_gnu: true,
             allows_weak_linkage: true,
             has_rpath: false,
             no_default_libraries: true,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/msvc_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/msvc_base.rs
index 4ed7685ca0770..f1ed4c154d272 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/msvc_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/msvc_base.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         is_like_windows: true,
         is_like_msvc: true,
         lld_flavor: LldFlavor::Link,
+        linker_is_gnu: false,
         pre_link_args,
         abi_return_struct_as_int: true,
         emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/netbsd_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/netbsd_base.rs
index 602fb6eb6413b..6bb6083d47c53 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/netbsd_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/netbsd_base.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         no_default_libraries: false,
         has_rpath: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/nvptx64_nvidia_cuda.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/nvptx64_nvidia_cuda.rs
index 15d8e4843f976..97960a75b095f 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/nvptx64_nvidia_cuda.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/nvptx64_nvidia_cuda.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             linker_flavor: LinkerFlavor::PtxLinker,
             // The linker can be installed from `crates.io`.
             linker: Some("rust-ptx-linker".to_string()),
+            linker_is_gnu: false,
 
             // With `ptx-linker` approach, it can be later overridden via link flags.
             cpu: "sm_30".to_string(),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/openbsd_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/openbsd_base.rs
index 8f33bacd9228e..29b415e77266e 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/openbsd_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/openbsd_base.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         abi_return_struct_as_int: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/redox_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/redox_base.rs
index 72052b9e2e2e3..fcf5db3746d24 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/redox_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/redox_base.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
         relro_level: RelroLevel::Full,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/solaris_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/solaris_base.rs
index 4c922eb5cea55..bc32b50168884 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/solaris_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/solaris_base.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         has_rpath: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
         is_like_solaris: true,
+        linker_is_gnu: false,
         limit_rdylib_exports: false, // Linker doesn't support this
         eh_frame_header: false,
 
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs
index ef58824f38108..f996009f83063 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         options: TargetOptions {
             linker_flavor: LinkerFlavor::Ld,
             linker: Some("arm-none-eabi-ld".to_string()),
-            linker_is_gnu: true,
 
             // extra args passed to the external assembler (assuming `arm-none-eabi-as`):
             // * activate t32/a32 interworking
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/vxworks_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/vxworks_base.rs
index 0e8e87f2dff5c..a91e771786554 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/vxworks_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/vxworks_base.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         families: vec!["unix".to_string()],
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         has_elf_tls: true,
         crt_static_default: true,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/wasm32_unknown_emscripten.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/wasm32_unknown_emscripten.rs
index ddf28b423f0d2..302139395d317 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/wasm32_unknown_emscripten.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/wasm32_unknown_emscripten.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         // functionality, and a .wasm file.
         exe_suffix: ".js".to_string(),
         linker: None,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         is_like_emscripten: true,
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Unwind,
         post_link_args,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/windows_gnu_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/windows_gnu_base.rs
index 5808391ee065d..35a52896f6fa6 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/windows_gnu_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/windows_gnu_base.rs
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         // FIXME(#13846) this should be enabled for windows
         function_sections: false,
         linker: Some("gcc".to_string()),
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         dynamic_linking: true,
         executables: true,
         dll_prefix: String::new(),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/x86_64_fortanix_unknown_sgx.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/x86_64_fortanix_unknown_sgx.rs
index 90705c526f4b2..06eb33d8d82e9 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/x86_64_fortanix_unknown_sgx.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/x86_64_fortanix_unknown_sgx.rs
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         vendor: "fortanix".into(),
         linker_flavor: LinkerFlavor::Lld(LldFlavor::Ld),
         executables: true,
-        linker_is_gnu: true,
         linker: Some("rust-lld".to_owned()),
         max_atomic_width: Some(64),
         cpu: "x86-64".into(),