diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/asmjs_unknown_emscripten.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/asmjs_unknown_emscripten.rs
index b25640c2791..4330e2e7b5f 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/asmjs_unknown_emscripten.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/asmjs_unknown_emscripten.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         no_compiler_rt: true,
         linker_is_gnu: true,
         allow_asm: false,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         obj_is_bitcode: true,
         .. Default::default()
     };
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/bitrig_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/bitrig_base.rs
index 2b84244cda4..8eed36f9915 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/bitrig_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/bitrig_base.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         linker_is_gnu: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         position_independent_executables: true,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         exe_allocation_crate: "alloc_system".to_string(),
 
         .. Default::default()
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/dragonfly_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/dragonfly_base.rs
index ead16f95707..f05319a0cbe 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/dragonfly_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/dragonfly_base.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
             "-Wl,-z,noexecstack".to_string(),
         ),
         position_independent_executables: true,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         exe_allocation_crate: super::maybe_jemalloc(),
         .. Default::default()
     }
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/freebsd_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/freebsd_base.rs
index 946e529502e..651c2a3760a 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/freebsd_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/freebsd_base.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
             // Always enable NX protection when it is available
             "-Wl,-z,noexecstack".to_string(),
         ],
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         exe_allocation_crate: super::maybe_jemalloc(),
 
         .. Default::default()
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/le32_unknown_nacl.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/le32_unknown_nacl.rs
index a5daebafda8..d37102e558d 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/le32_unknown_nacl.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/le32_unknown_nacl.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         no_compiler_rt: false,
         linker_is_gnu: true,
         allow_asm: false,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         .. Default::default()
     };
     Target {
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/linux_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/linux_base.rs
index 20aae113f7b..d1ab71e4140 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/linux_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/linux_base.rs
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
             "-Wl,-z,noexecstack".to_string(),
         ],
         position_independent_executables: true,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         exe_allocation_crate: super::maybe_jemalloc(),
         has_elf_tls: true,
         .. Default::default()
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs
index c61ae547a22..896fde50147 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ impl Default for TargetOptions {
             pre_link_objects_dll: Vec::new(),
             post_link_objects: Vec::new(),
             late_link_args: Vec::new(),
-            archive_format: String::new(),
+            archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
             custom_unwind_resume: false,
             lib_allocation_crate: "alloc_system".to_string(),
             exe_allocation_crate: "alloc_system".to_string(),
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/netbsd_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/netbsd_base.rs
index ead8a7259f0..bf6a2e1ce75 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/netbsd_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/netbsd_base.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
             "-Wl,-z,noexecstack".to_string(),
         ),
         position_independent_executables: true,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         .. Default::default()
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/openbsd_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/openbsd_base.rs
index e0c2d062949..d3db0e48771 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/openbsd_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/openbsd_base.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
             "-Wl,-z,noexecstack".to_string(),
         ),
         position_independent_executables: true,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         exe_allocation_crate: "alloc_system".to_string(),
         .. Default::default()
     }
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/solaris_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/solaris_base.rs
index bf99a141c10..4ffa0c69da9 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/solaris_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/solaris_base.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         executables: true,
         has_rpath: true,
         is_like_solaris: true,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         exe_allocation_crate: super::maybe_jemalloc(),
 
         .. Default::default()
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/windows_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/windows_base.rs
index 4eacea3fcd9..1e46f45bdcf 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/windows_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/windows_base.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         staticlib_suffix: ".lib".to_string(),
         no_default_libraries: true,
         is_like_windows: true,
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         pre_link_args: vec!(
             // And here, we see obscure linker flags #45. On windows, it has been
             // found to be necessary to have this flag to compile liblibc.
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/windows_msvc_base.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/windows_msvc_base.rs
index fb88ce158e4..84e22e84fdb 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/windows_msvc_base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/windows_msvc_base.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
             "/NOLOGO".to_string(),
             "/NXCOMPAT".to_string(),
         ],
-        archive_format: "gnu".to_string(),
         exe_allocation_crate: "alloc_system".to_string(),
 
         .. Default::default()