diff --git a/build_system/abi_cafe.rs b/build_system/abi_cafe.rs
index a081fdaa1c7..5f20a377329 100644
--- a/build_system/abi_cafe.rs
+++ b/build_system/abi_cafe.rs
@@ -17,34 +17,28 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
     sysroot_kind: SysrootKind,
     dirs: &Dirs,
     cg_clif_dylib: &Path,
-    host_triple: &str,
-    target_triple: &str,
+    host_compiler: &Compiler,
 ) {
     if !config::get_bool("testsuite.abi-cafe") {
         eprintln!("[SKIP] abi-cafe");
         return;
     }
 
-    if host_triple != target_triple {
-        eprintln!("[SKIP] abi-cafe (cross-compilation not supported)");
-        return;
-    }
-
     eprintln!("Building sysroot for abi-cafe");
     build_sysroot::build_sysroot(
         dirs,
         channel,
         sysroot_kind,
         cg_clif_dylib,
-        host_triple,
-        target_triple,
+        host_compiler,
+        &host_compiler.triple,
     );
 
     eprintln!("Running abi-cafe");
 
     let pairs = ["rustc_calls_cgclif", "cgclif_calls_rustc", "cgclif_calls_cc", "cc_calls_cgclif"];
 
-    let mut cmd = ABI_CAFE.run(&Compiler::host(), dirs);
+    let mut cmd = ABI_CAFE.run(host_compiler, dirs);
     cmd.arg("--");
     cmd.arg("--pairs");
     cmd.args(pairs);
diff --git a/build_system/bench.rs b/build_system/bench.rs
index e0956cb44ba..f5c5d92cb32 100644
--- a/build_system/bench.rs
+++ b/build_system/bench.rs
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@
 pub(crate) static SIMPLE_RAYTRACER: CargoProject =
     CargoProject::new(&SIMPLE_RAYTRACER_REPO.source_dir(), "simple_raytracer");
 
-pub(crate) fn benchmark(dirs: &Dirs) {
-    benchmark_simple_raytracer(dirs);
+pub(crate) fn benchmark(dirs: &Dirs, host_compiler: &Compiler) {
+    benchmark_simple_raytracer(dirs, host_compiler);
 }
 
-fn benchmark_simple_raytracer(dirs: &Dirs) {
+fn benchmark_simple_raytracer(dirs: &Dirs, host_compiler: &Compiler) {
     if std::process::Command::new("hyperfine").output().is_err() {
         eprintln!("Hyperfine not installed");
         eprintln!("Hint: Try `cargo install hyperfine` to install hyperfine");
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ fn benchmark_simple_raytracer(dirs: &Dirs) {
     }
 
     eprintln!("[LLVM BUILD] simple-raytracer");
-    let host_compiler = Compiler::host();
-    let build_cmd = SIMPLE_RAYTRACER_LLVM.build(&host_compiler, dirs);
+    let build_cmd = SIMPLE_RAYTRACER_LLVM.build(host_compiler, dirs);
     spawn_and_wait(build_cmd);
     fs::copy(
         SIMPLE_RAYTRACER_LLVM
diff --git a/build_system/build_backend.rs b/build_system/build_backend.rs
index 16b43c5fc85..00d9a6ddea8 100644
--- a/build_system/build_backend.rs
+++ b/build_system/build_backend.rs
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@
 pub(crate) fn build_backend(
     dirs: &Dirs,
     channel: &str,
-    host_triple: &str,
+    host_compiler: &Compiler,
     use_unstable_features: bool,
 ) -> PathBuf {
-    let mut cmd = CG_CLIF.build(&Compiler::host(), dirs);
+    let mut cmd = CG_CLIF.build(&host_compiler, dirs);
 
     cmd.env("CARGO_BUILD_INCREMENTAL", "true"); // Force incr comp even in release mode
 
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ pub(crate) fn build_backend(
 
     CG_CLIF
         .target_dir(dirs)
-        .join(host_triple)
+        .join(&host_compiler.triple)
         .join(channel)
         .join(get_file_name("rustc_codegen_cranelift", "dylib"))
 }
diff --git a/build_system/build_sysroot.rs b/build_system/build_sysroot.rs
index 711d4ccc55b..f7bdf517976 100644
--- a/build_system/build_sysroot.rs
+++ b/build_system/build_sysroot.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub(crate) fn build_sysroot(
     channel: &str,
     sysroot_kind: SysrootKind,
     cg_clif_dylib_src: &Path,
-    host_triple: &str,
+    host_compiler: &Compiler,
     target_triple: &str,
 ) {
     eprintln!("[BUILD] sysroot {:?}", sysroot_kind);
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pub(crate) fn build_sysroot(
 
     let default_sysroot = super::rustc_info::get_default_sysroot();
 
-    let host_rustlib_lib = RUSTLIB_DIR.to_path(dirs).join(host_triple).join("lib");
+    let host_rustlib_lib = RUSTLIB_DIR.to_path(dirs).join(&host_compiler.triple).join("lib");
     let target_rustlib_lib = RUSTLIB_DIR.to_path(dirs).join(target_triple).join("lib");
     fs::create_dir_all(&host_rustlib_lib).unwrap();
     fs::create_dir_all(&target_rustlib_lib).unwrap();
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ pub(crate) fn build_sysroot(
         SysrootKind::None => {} // Nothing to do
         SysrootKind::Llvm => {
             for file in fs::read_dir(
-                default_sysroot.join("lib").join("rustlib").join(host_triple).join("lib"),
+                default_sysroot.join("lib").join("rustlib").join(&host_compiler.triple).join("lib"),
             )
             .unwrap()
             {
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ pub(crate) fn build_sysroot(
                 try_hard_link(&file, host_rustlib_lib.join(file.file_name().unwrap()));
             }
 
-            if target_triple != host_triple {
+            if target_triple != host_compiler.triple {
                 for file in fs::read_dir(
                     default_sysroot.join("lib").join("rustlib").join(target_triple).join("lib"),
                 )
@@ -115,9 +115,15 @@ pub(crate) fn build_sysroot(
             }
         }
         SysrootKind::Clif => {
-            build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(dirs, channel, host_triple, &cg_clif_dylib_path, None);
+            build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(
+                dirs,
+                channel,
+                host_compiler.clone(),
+                &cg_clif_dylib_path,
+                None,
+            );
 
-            if host_triple != target_triple {
+            if host_compiler.triple != target_triple {
                 // When cross-compiling it is often necessary to manually pick the right linker
                 let linker = match target_triple {
                     "aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu" => Some("aarch64-linux-gnu-gcc"),
@@ -127,7 +133,11 @@ pub(crate) fn build_sysroot(
                 build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(
                     dirs,
                     channel,
-                    target_triple,
+                    {
+                        let mut target_compiler = host_compiler.clone();
+                        target_compiler.triple = target_triple.to_owned();
+                        target_compiler
+                    },
                     &cg_clif_dylib_path,
                     linker,
                 );
@@ -155,7 +165,7 @@ pub(crate) fn build_sysroot(
 fn build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(
     dirs: &Dirs,
     channel: &str,
-    triple: &str,
+    mut compiler: Compiler,
     cg_clif_dylib_path: &Path,
     linker: Option<&str>,
 ) {
@@ -177,7 +187,7 @@ fn build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(
         }
     }
 
-    let build_dir = STANDARD_LIBRARY.target_dir(dirs).join(triple).join(channel);
+    let build_dir = STANDARD_LIBRARY.target_dir(dirs).join(&compiler.triple).join(channel);
 
     if !super::config::get_bool("keep_sysroot") {
         // Cleanup the deps dir, but keep build scripts and the incremental cache for faster
@@ -188,7 +198,7 @@ fn build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(
     }
 
     // Build sysroot
-    let mut rustflags = "-Zforce-unstable-if-unmarked -Cpanic=abort".to_string();
+    let mut rustflags = " -Zforce-unstable-if-unmarked -Cpanic=abort".to_string();
     rustflags.push_str(&format!(" -Zcodegen-backend={}", cg_clif_dylib_path.to_str().unwrap()));
     rustflags.push_str(&format!(" --sysroot={}", DIST_DIR.to_path(dirs).to_str().unwrap()));
     if channel == "release" {
@@ -198,8 +208,7 @@ fn build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(
         use std::fmt::Write;
         write!(rustflags, " -Clinker={}", linker).unwrap();
     }
-    let mut compiler = Compiler::with_triple(triple.to_owned());
-    compiler.rustflags = rustflags;
+    compiler.rustflags += &rustflags;
     let mut build_cmd = STANDARD_LIBRARY.build(&compiler, dirs);
     if channel == "release" {
         build_cmd.arg("--release");
@@ -219,7 +228,7 @@ fn build_clif_sysroot_for_triple(
         };
         try_hard_link(
             entry.path(),
-            RUSTLIB_DIR.to_path(dirs).join(triple).join("lib").join(entry.file_name()),
+            RUSTLIB_DIR.to_path(dirs).join(&compiler.triple).join("lib").join(entry.file_name()),
         );
     }
 }
diff --git a/build_system/mod.rs b/build_system/mod.rs
index 1c25c515e6b..f2de07cf5eb 100644
--- a/build_system/mod.rs
+++ b/build_system/mod.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process;
 
-use self::utils::is_ci;
+use self::utils::{is_ci, Compiler};
 
 mod abi_cafe;
 mod bench;
@@ -121,24 +121,16 @@ pub fn main() {
         }
     }
 
-    let host_triple = if let Ok(host_triple) = std::env::var("HOST_TRIPLE") {
-        host_triple
-    } else if let Some(host_triple) = config::get_value("host") {
-        host_triple
-    } else {
-        rustc_info::get_host_triple()
-    };
-    let target_triple = if let Ok(target_triple) = std::env::var("TARGET_TRIPLE") {
-        if target_triple != "" {
-            target_triple
-        } else {
-            host_triple.clone() // Empty target triple can happen on GHA
-        }
-    } else if let Some(target_triple) = config::get_value("target") {
-        target_triple
-    } else {
-        host_triple.clone()
-    };
+    let host_compiler = Compiler::llvm_with_triple(
+        std::env::var("HOST_TRIPLE")
+            .ok()
+            .or_else(|| config::get_value("host"))
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| rustc_info::get_host_triple()),
+    );
+    let target_triple = std::env::var("TARGET_TRIPLE")
+        .ok()
+        .or_else(|| config::get_value("target"))
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| host_compiler.triple.clone());
 
     // FIXME allow changing the location of these dirs using cli arguments
     let current_dir = std::env::current_dir().unwrap();
@@ -167,7 +159,7 @@ pub fn main() {
     }
 
     let cg_clif_dylib =
-        build_backend::build_backend(&dirs, channel, &host_triple, use_unstable_features);
+        build_backend::build_backend(&dirs, channel, &host_compiler, use_unstable_features);
     match command {
         Command::Prepare => {
             // Handled above
@@ -178,18 +170,16 @@ pub fn main() {
                 channel,
                 sysroot_kind,
                 &cg_clif_dylib,
-                &host_triple,
+                &host_compiler,
                 &target_triple,
             );
 
-            abi_cafe::run(
-                channel,
-                sysroot_kind,
-                &dirs,
-                &cg_clif_dylib,
-                &host_triple,
-                &target_triple,
-            );
+            if host_compiler.triple == target_triple {
+                abi_cafe::run(channel, sysroot_kind, &dirs, &cg_clif_dylib, &host_compiler);
+            } else {
+                eprintln!("[SKIP] abi-cafe (cross-compilation not supported)");
+                return;
+            }
         }
         Command::Build => {
             build_sysroot::build_sysroot(
@@ -197,7 +187,7 @@ pub fn main() {
                 channel,
                 sysroot_kind,
                 &cg_clif_dylib,
-                &host_triple,
+                &host_compiler,
                 &target_triple,
             );
         }
@@ -207,10 +197,10 @@ pub fn main() {
                 channel,
                 sysroot_kind,
                 &cg_clif_dylib,
-                &host_triple,
+                &host_compiler,
                 &target_triple,
             );
-            bench::benchmark(&dirs);
+            bench::benchmark(&dirs, &host_compiler);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/build_system/tests.rs b/build_system/tests.rs
index 5b8b6f2df10..9139b3ccecc 100644
--- a/build_system/tests.rs
+++ b/build_system/tests.rs
@@ -385,10 +385,11 @@ pub(crate) fn run_tests(
     channel: &str,
     sysroot_kind: SysrootKind,
     cg_clif_dylib: &Path,
-    host_triple: &str,
+    host_compiler: &Compiler,
     target_triple: &str,
 ) {
-    let runner = TestRunner::new(dirs.clone(), host_triple.to_string(), target_triple.to_string());
+    let runner =
+        TestRunner::new(dirs.clone(), host_compiler.triple.clone(), target_triple.to_string());
 
     if config::get_bool("testsuite.no_sysroot") {
         build_sysroot::build_sysroot(
@@ -396,7 +397,7 @@ pub(crate) fn run_tests(
             channel,
             SysrootKind::None,
             cg_clif_dylib,
-            &host_triple,
+            host_compiler,
             &target_triple,
         );
 
@@ -415,7 +416,7 @@ pub(crate) fn run_tests(
             channel,
             sysroot_kind,
             cg_clif_dylib,
-            &host_triple,
+            host_compiler,
             &target_triple,
         );
     }
@@ -445,7 +446,7 @@ impl TestRunner {
     pub fn new(dirs: Dirs, host_triple: String, target_triple: String) -> Self {
         let is_native = host_triple == target_triple;
         let jit_supported =
-            target_triple.contains("x86_64") && is_native && !host_triple.contains("windows");
+            is_native && host_triple.contains("x86_64") && !host_triple.contains("windows");
 
         let mut rustflags = env::var("RUSTFLAGS").ok().unwrap_or("".to_string());
         let mut runner = vec![];
diff --git a/build_system/utils.rs b/build_system/utils.rs
index 3d6617d4458..d244da1b2e0 100644
--- a/build_system/utils.rs
+++ b/build_system/utils.rs
@@ -5,10 +5,9 @@
 use std::process::{self, Command, Stdio};
 
 use super::path::{Dirs, RelPath};
-use super::rustc_info::{
-    get_cargo_path, get_host_triple, get_rustc_path, get_rustdoc_path, get_wrapper_file_name,
-};
+use super::rustc_info::{get_cargo_path, get_rustc_path, get_rustdoc_path, get_wrapper_file_name};
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct Compiler {
     pub(crate) cargo: PathBuf,
     pub(crate) rustc: PathBuf,
@@ -20,19 +19,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Compiler {
 }
 
 impl Compiler {
-    pub(crate) fn host() -> Compiler {
-        Compiler {
-            cargo: get_cargo_path(),
-            rustc: get_rustc_path(),
-            rustdoc: get_rustdoc_path(),
-            rustflags: String::new(),
-            rustdocflags: String::new(),
-            triple: get_host_triple(),
-            runner: vec![],
-        }
-    }
-
-    pub(crate) fn with_triple(triple: String) -> Compiler {
+    pub(crate) fn llvm_with_triple(triple: String) -> Compiler {
         Compiler {
             cargo: get_cargo_path(),
             rustc: get_rustc_path(),