diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
index 6fdd2e699524..6d020f3f245e 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/common.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::collections::{BTreeSet, HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::iter;
 use std::process::Command;
@@ -1011,6 +1012,13 @@ pub struct TargetCfg {
     // target spec).
     pub(crate) rustc_abi: Option<String>,
 
+    /// ELF is the "default" binary format, so the compiler typically doesn't
+    /// emit a `"binary-format"` field for ELF targets.
+    ///
+    /// See `impl ToJson for Target` in `compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/json.rs`.
+    #[serde(default = "default_binary_format_elf")]
+    pub(crate) binary_format: Cow<'static, str>,
+
     // Not present in target cfg json output, additional derived information.
     #[serde(skip)]
     /// Supported target atomic widths: e.g. `8` to `128` or `ptr`. This is derived from the builtin
@@ -1032,6 +1040,10 @@ fn default_reloc_model() -> String {
     "pic".into()
 }
 
+fn default_binary_format_elf() -> Cow<'static, str> {
+    Cow::Borrowed("elf")
+}
+
 #[derive(Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Debug, Default, serde::Deserialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
 pub enum Endian {
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/directives/cfg.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/directives/cfg.rs
index 1735866bf2cd..531763c1b3e2 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/directives/cfg.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/directives/cfg.rs
@@ -169,11 +169,7 @@ macro_rules! condition {
 
     condition! {
         name: "elf",
-        condition: !config.target.contains("windows")
-            && !config.target.contains("wasm")
-            && !config.target.contains("apple")
-            && !config.target.contains("aix")
-            && !config.target.contains("uefi"),
+        condition: target_cfg.binary_format == "elf",
         message: "when the target binary format is ELF"
     }