diff --git a/build_system/abi_cafe.rs b/build_system/abi_cafe.rs
index b7d7e011308..5e4bf070eb7 100644
--- a/build_system/abi_cafe.rs
+++ b/build_system/abi_cafe.rs
@@ -36,12 +36,11 @@ pub(crate) fn run(
 
     eprintln!("Running abi-cafe");
 
-    let pairs = ["rustc_calls_cgclif", "cgclif_calls_rustc", "cgclif_calls_cc", "cc_calls_cgclif"];
-    let pairs =
+    let pairs: &[_] =
         if cfg!(not(any(target_os = "macos", all(target_os = "windows", target_env = "msvc")))) {
-            &pairs[..]
+            &["rustc_calls_cgclif", "cgclif_calls_rustc", "cgclif_calls_cc", "cc_calls_cgclif"]
         } else {
-            &pairs[..2]
+            &["rustc_calls_cgclif", "cgclif_calls_rustc"]
         };
 
     let mut cmd = ABI_CAFE.run(bootstrap_host_compiler, dirs);
diff --git a/build_system/build_backend.rs b/build_system/build_backend.rs
index dfbf900b2ee..02da89f737c 100644
--- a/build_system/build_backend.rs
+++ b/build_system/build_backend.rs
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ pub(crate) fn build_backend(
     let mut cmd = CG_CLIF.build(&bootstrap_host_compiler, dirs);
 
     let mut rustflags = rustflags_from_env("RUSTFLAGS");
-
     rustflags.push("-Zallow-features=rustc_private".to_owned());
+    rustflags_to_cmd_env(&mut cmd, "RUSTFLAGS", &rustflags);
 
     if env::var("CG_CLIF_EXPENSIVE_CHECKS").is_ok() {
         // Enabling debug assertions implicitly enables the clif ir verifier
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@ pub(crate) fn build_backend(
 
     cmd.arg("--release");
 
-    rustflags_to_cmd_env(&mut cmd, "RUSTFLAGS", &rustflags);
-
     eprintln!("[BUILD] rustc_codegen_cranelift");
     crate::utils::spawn_and_wait(cmd);