diff --git test/fixedbugs/bug302.go test/fixedbugs/bug302.go
index e4de25d5d0..ea566e6e44 100644
--- test/fixedbugs/bug302.go
+++ test/fixedbugs/bug302.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2010 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -8,16 +8,27 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+        if *target != "" {
+                return "go_" + *target
+        }
+        return "go"
+}
+
 func main() {
-	run("go", "tool", "compile", filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "bug302.dir", "p.go"))
-	run("go", "tool", "pack", "grc", "pp.a", "p.o")
-	run("go", "tool", "compile", "-I", ".", filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "bug302.dir", "main.go"))
+	flag.Parse()
+	run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "bug302.dir", "p.go"))
+	run(goCmd(), "tool", "pack", "grc", "pp.a", "p.o")
+	run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "-I", ".", filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "bug302.dir", "main.go"))
 	os.Remove("p.o")
 	os.Remove("pp.a")
 	os.Remove("main.o")
diff --git test/fixedbugs/bug369.go test/fixedbugs/bug369.go
index 60162ab1cb..4470d5a076 100644
--- test/fixedbugs/bug369.go
+++ test/fixedbugs/bug369.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl,!windows
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2011 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -10,21 +10,40 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+       if *target != "" {
+               return "go_" + *target
+       }
+       return "go"
+}
+
+func goRun(cmd ...string) {
+       if *target == "" {
+               run(cmd[0], cmd[1:]...)
+       } else {
+               run("go_"+*target+"_exec", cmd...)
+       }
+}
+
 func main() {
+	flag.Parse()
 	err := os.Chdir(filepath.Join(".", "fixedbugs", "bug369.dir"))
 	check(err)
 
-	run("go", "tool", "compile", "-N", "-o", "slow.o", "pkg.go")
-	run("go", "tool", "compile", "-o", "fast.o", "pkg.go")
-	run("go", "tool", "compile", "-o", "main.o", "main.go")
-	run("go", "tool", "link", "-o", "a.exe", "main.o")
-	run("." + string(filepath.Separator) + "a.exe")
+	run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "-N", "-o", "slow.o", "pkg.go")
+	run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "-o", "fast.o", "pkg.go")
+	run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "-o", "main.o", "main.go")
+	run(goCmd(), "tool", "link", "-o", "a.exe", "main.o")
+	goRun("." + string(filepath.Separator) + "a.exe")
 
 	os.Remove("slow.o")
 	os.Remove("fast.o")
diff --git test/fixedbugs/bug429_run.go test/fixedbugs/bug429_run.go
index 284033d1f7..e8d18b13e8 100644
--- test/fixedbugs/bug429_run.go
+++ test/fixedbugs/bug429_run.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2014 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -17,8 +18,27 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+       if *target != "" {
+               return "go_" + *target
+       }
+       return "go"
+}
+
+func goRun(args ...string) *exec.Cmd {
+       cmd := []string{"run"}
+       if *target != "" {
+               cmd = append(cmd, "-exec", "go_"+*target+"_exec")
+       }
+       cmd = append(cmd, args...)
+       return exec.Command(goCmd(), cmd...)
+}
+
 func main() {
-	cmd := exec.Command("go", "run", filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "bug429.go"))
+	flag.Parse()
+	cmd := goRun(filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "bug429.go"))
 	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err == nil {
 		fmt.Println("expected deadlock")
diff --git test/fixedbugs/issue10607.go test/fixedbugs/issue10607.go
index 9ee6c72bc6..e819a3085a 100644
--- test/fixedbugs/issue10607.go
+++ test/fixedbugs/issue10607.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build linux,!ppc64 android
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2015 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -11,19 +11,39 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+       if *target != "" {
+               return "go_" + *target
+       }
+       return "go"
+}
+
+func goRun(args ...string) *exec.Cmd {
+       cmd := []string{"run"}
+       if *target != "" {
+               cmd = append(cmd, "-exec", "go_"+*target+"_exec")
+       }
+       cmd = append(cmd, args...)
+       return exec.Command(goCmd(), cmd...)
+}
+
 func main() {
-	test("internal")
+	flag.Parse()
+	//test("internal")
 	test("external")
 }
 
 func test(linkmode string) {
-	out, err := exec.Command("go", "run", "-ldflags", "-B=0x12345678 -linkmode="+linkmode, filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "issue10607a.go")).CombinedOutput()
+	out, err := goRun("-ldflags", "-B=0x12345678 -linkmode="+linkmode, filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "issue10607a.go")).CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("BUG: linkmode=%s %v\n%s\n", linkmode, err, out)
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git test/fixedbugs/issue11771.go test/fixedbugs/issue11771.go
index d91fc5d966..4f55ce6982 100644
--- test/fixedbugs/issue11771.go
+++ test/fixedbugs/issue11771.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2015 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
@@ -20,7 +21,17 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+       if *target != "" {
+               return "go_" + *target
+       }
+       return "go"
+}
+
 func main() {
+	flag.Parse()
 	if runtime.Compiler != "gc" {
 		return
 	}
@@ -52,7 +63,7 @@ func x() {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	cmd := exec.Command("go", "tool", "compile", "x.go")
+	cmd := exec.Command(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "x.go")
 	cmd.Dir = dir
 	output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err == nil {
diff --git test/fixedbugs/issue9355.go test/fixedbugs/issue9355.go
index 10f8c73069..87356c7402 100644
--- test/fixedbugs/issue9355.go
+++ test/fixedbugs/issue9355.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2014 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -15,7 +16,17 @@ import (
 	"runtime"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+        if *target != "" {
+                return "go_" + *target
+        }
+        return "go"
+}
+
 func main() {
+	flag.Parse()
 	if runtime.Compiler != "gc" || runtime.GOOS == "nacl" {
 		return
 	}
@@ -23,7 +34,7 @@ func main() {
 	err := os.Chdir(filepath.Join("fixedbugs", "issue9355.dir"))
 	check(err)
 
-	out := run("go", "tool", "compile", "-S", "a.go")
+	out := run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "-S", "a.go")
 	os.Remove("a.o")
 
 	// 6g/8g print the offset as dec, but 5g/9g print the offset as hex.
diff --git test/fixedbugs/issue9862_run.go test/fixedbugs/issue9862_run.go
index be22f40580..a72a59fda2 100644
--- test/fixedbugs/issue9862_run.go
+++ test/fixedbugs/issue9862_run.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2015 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -10,12 +10,32 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+        if *target != "" {
+                return "go_" + *target
+        }
+        return "go"
+}
+
+func goRun(args ...string) *exec.Cmd {
+        cmd := []string{"run"}
+        if *target != "" {
+                cmd = append(cmd, "-exec", "go_"+*target+"_exec")
+        }
+        cmd = append(cmd, args...)
+        return exec.Command(goCmd(), cmd...)
+}
+
 func main() {
-	out, err := exec.Command("go", "run", "fixedbugs/issue9862.go").CombinedOutput()
+	flag.Parse()
+	out, err := goRun("fixedbugs/issue9862.go").CombinedOutput()
 	outstr := string(out)
 	if err == nil {
 		println("go run issue9862.go succeeded, should have failed\n", outstr)
diff --git test/linkmain_run.go test/linkmain_run.go
index 55de481a81..03666e6b29 100644
--- test/linkmain_run.go
+++ test/linkmain_run.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2014 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -10,12 +10,22 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+        if *target != "" {
+                return "go_" + *target
+        }
+        return "go"
+}
+
 func cleanup() {
 	os.Remove("linkmain.o")
 	os.Remove("linkmain.a")
@@ -51,16 +61,17 @@ func runFail(cmdline string) {
 }
 
 func main() {
+	flag.Parse()
 	// helloworld.go is package main
-	run("go tool compile -o linkmain.o helloworld.go")
-	run("go tool compile -pack -o linkmain.a helloworld.go")
-	run("go tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain.o")
-	run("go tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain.a")
+	run(goCmd() + " tool compile -o linkmain.o helloworld.go")
+	run(goCmd() + " tool compile -pack -o linkmain.a helloworld.go")
+	run(goCmd() + " tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain.o")
+	run(goCmd() + " tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain.a")
 
 	// linkmain.go is not
-	run("go tool compile -o linkmain1.o linkmain.go")
-	run("go tool compile -pack -o linkmain1.a linkmain.go")
-	runFail("go tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain1.o")
-	runFail("go tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain1.a")
+	run(goCmd() + " tool compile -o linkmain1.o linkmain.go")
+	run(goCmd() + " tool compile -pack -o linkmain1.a linkmain.go")
+	runFail(goCmd() + " tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain1.o")
+	runFail(goCmd() + " tool link -o linkmain.exe linkmain1.a")
 	cleanup()
 }
diff --git test/linkobj.go test/linkobj.go
index 8a86aa872f..0d1964e7fb 100644
--- test/linkobj.go
+++ test/linkobj.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2016 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
@@ -18,9 +19,27 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+        if *target != "" {
+                return "go_" + *target
+        }
+        return "go"
+}
+
+func goRun(cmd ...string) string {
+        if *target == "" {
+                return run(cmd...)
+        } else {
+                return run(append([]string{"go_"+*target+"_exec"}, cmd...)...)
+        }
+}
+
 var pwd, tmpdir string
 
 func main() {
+	flag.Parse()
 	dir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "go-test-linkobj-")
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
@@ -37,28 +56,28 @@ func main() {
 
 	writeFile("p1.go", `
 		package p1
-		
+
 		func F() {
 			println("hello from p1")
 		}
 	`)
 	writeFile("p2.go", `
 		package p2
-		
+
 		import "./p1"
 
 		func F() {
 			p1.F()
 			println("hello from p2")
 		}
-		
+
 		func main() {}
 	`)
 	writeFile("p3.go", `
 		package main
 
 		import "./p2"
-		
+
 		func main() {
 			p2.F()
 			println("hello from main")
@@ -76,9 +95,9 @@ func main() {
 		}
 
 		// inlining is disabled to make sure that the link objects contain needed code.
-		run("go", "tool", "compile", pkg, "-D", ".", "-I", ".", "-l", "-o", "p1."+o, "-linkobj", "p1.lo", "p1.go")
-		run("go", "tool", "compile", pkg, "-D", ".", "-I", ".", "-l", "-o", "p2."+o, "-linkobj", "p2.lo", "p2.go")
-		run("go", "tool", "compile", pkg, "-D", ".", "-I", ".", "-l", "-o", "p3."+o, "-linkobj", "p3.lo", "p3.go")
+		run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", pkg, "-D", ".", "-I", ".", "-l", "-o", "p1."+o, "-linkobj", "p1.lo", "p1.go")
+		run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", pkg, "-D", ".", "-I", ".", "-l", "-o", "p2."+o, "-linkobj", "p2.lo", "p2.go")
+		run(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", pkg, "-D", ".", "-I", ".", "-l", "-o", "p3."+o, "-linkobj", "p3.lo", "p3.go")
 
 		cp("p1."+o, "p1.oo")
 		cp("p2."+o, "p2.oo")
@@ -86,13 +105,13 @@ func main() {
 		cp("p1.lo", "p1."+o)
 		cp("p2.lo", "p2."+o)
 		cp("p3.lo", "p3."+o)
-		out := runFail("go", "tool", "link", "p2."+o)
+		out := runFail(goCmd(), "tool", "link", "p2."+o)
 		if !strings.Contains(out, "not package main") {
 			fatalf("link p2.o failed but not for package main:\n%s", out)
 		}
 
-		run("go", "tool", "link", "-L", ".", "-o", "a.out.exe", "p3."+o)
-		out = run("./a.out.exe")
+		run(goCmd(), "tool", "link", "-L", ".", "-o", "a.out.exe", "p3."+o)
+		out = goRun("./a.out.exe")
 		if !strings.Contains(out, "hello from p1\nhello from p2\nhello from main\n") {
 			fatalf("running main, incorrect output:\n%s", out)
 		}
diff --git test/linkx_run.go test/linkx_run.go
index cc249c9cfc..530159ab9d 100644
--- test/linkx_run.go
+++ test/linkx_run.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2014 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -11,20 +11,40 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+        if *target != "" {
+                return "go_" + *target
+        }
+        return "go"
+}
+
+func goRun(args ...string) *exec.Cmd {
+        cmd := []string{"run"}
+        if *target != "" {
+                cmd = append(cmd, "-exec", "go_"+*target+"_exec")
+        }
+        cmd = append(cmd, args...)
+        return exec.Command(goCmd(), cmd...)
+}
+
 func main() {
+	flag.Parse()
 	// test(" ") // old deprecated & removed syntax
 	test("=") // new syntax
 }
 
 func test(sep string) {
 	// Successful run
-	cmd := exec.Command("go", "run", "-ldflags=-X main.tbd"+sep+"hello -X main.overwrite"+sep+"trumped -X main.nosuchsymbol"+sep+"neverseen", "linkx.go")
+	cmd := goRun("-ldflags=-X main.tbd"+sep+"hello -X main.overwrite"+sep+"trumped -X main.nosuchsymbol"+sep+"neverseen", "linkx.go")
 	var out, errbuf bytes.Buffer
 	cmd.Stdout = &out
 	cmd.Stderr = &errbuf
@@ -44,7 +64,7 @@ func test(sep string) {
 	}
 
 	// Issue 8810
-	cmd = exec.Command("go", "run", "-ldflags=-X main.tbd", "linkx.go")
+	cmd = goRun("-ldflags=-X main.tbd", "linkx.go")
 	_, err = cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err == nil {
 		fmt.Println("-X linker flag should not accept keys without values")
@@ -52,7 +72,7 @@ func test(sep string) {
 	}
 
 	// Issue 9621
-	cmd = exec.Command("go", "run", "-ldflags=-X main.b=false -X main.x=42", "linkx.go")
+	cmd = goRun("-ldflags=-X main.b=false -X main.x=42", "linkx.go")
 	outx, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err == nil {
 		fmt.Println("-X linker flag should not overwrite non-strings")
diff --git test/nosplit.go test/nosplit.go
index e6cecebde3..fed1c0e510 100644
--- test/nosplit.go
+++ test/nosplit.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2014 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
@@ -21,6 +22,24 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+        if *target != "" {
+                return "go_" + *target
+        }
+        return "go"
+}
+
+func goArch() string {
+        goarch, err := exec.Command(goCmd(), "env", "GOARCH").Output()
+        if err != nil {
+                bug()
+                fmt.Printf("running go env GOARCH: %v\n", err)
+        }
+        return strings.TrimSpace(string(goarch))
+}
+
 var tests = `
 # These are test cases for the linker analysis that detects chains of
 # nosplit functions that would cause a stack overflow.
@@ -194,12 +213,13 @@ var (
 )
 
 func main() {
-	goarch := os.Getenv("GOARCH")
+	flag.Parse()
+	goarch := goArch()
 	if goarch == "" {
-		goarch = runtime.GOARCH
+		return
 	}
 
-	version, err := exec.Command("go", "tool", "compile", "-V").Output()
+	version, err := exec.Command(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "-V").Output()
 	if err != nil {
 		bug()
 		fmt.Printf("running go tool compile -V: %v\n", err)
@@ -345,7 +365,7 @@ TestCases:
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 
-		cmd := exec.Command("go", "build")
+		cmd := exec.Command(goCmd(), "build")
 		cmd.Dir = dir
 		output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 		if err == nil {
diff --git test/run.go test/run.go
index ac5d3c3e8d..62041226b0 100644
--- test/run.go
+++ test/run.go
@@ -229,6 +229,16 @@ func goRun(runcmd runCmd, flags []string, goname string, args ...string) (out []
         return runcmd(cmd...)
 }
 
+func goRunTarget(runcmd runCmd, goname string, args ...string) (out []byte, err error) {
+        cmd := []string{"go_local", "run"}
+        cmd = append(cmd, goname)
+        if *target != "" {
+                cmd = append(cmd, "-target", *target)
+        }
+        cmd = append(cmd, args...)
+        return runcmd(cmd...)
+}
+
 // skipError describes why a test was skipped.
 type skipError string
 
@@ -491,7 +501,7 @@ func (t *test) run() {
 		action = "rundir"
 	case "cmpout":
 		action = "run" // the run case already looks for <dir>/<test>.out files
-	case "compile", "compiledir", "build", "builddir", "run", "buildrun", "runoutput", "rundir":
+	case "compile", "compiledir", "build", "builddir", "run", "runtarget", "buildrun", "runoutput", "rundir":
 		// nothing to do
 	case "errorcheckandrundir":
 		wantError = false // should be no error if also will run
@@ -816,6 +826,17 @@ func (t *test) run() {
 			t.err = fmt.Errorf("incorrect output\n%s", out)
 		}
 
+       case "runtarget":
+                useTmp = false
+                out, err := goRunTarget(runcmd, t.goFileName(), args...)
+                if err != nil {
+                        t.err = err
+                        return
+                }
+                if strings.Replace(string(out), "\r\n", "\n", -1) != t.expectedOutput() {
+                        t.err = fmt.Errorf("incorrect output\n%s", out)
+                }
+
 	case "runoutput":
 		rungatec <- true
 		defer func() {
diff --git test/sinit_run.go test/sinit_run.go
index c9afd3b777..dc885ecffd 100644
--- test/sinit_run.go
+++ test/sinit_run.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // +build !nacl
-// run
+// runtarget
 
 // Copyright 2014 The Go Authors. All rights reserved.
 // Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
@@ -11,13 +11,24 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 )
 
+var target = flag.String("target", "", "if non empty, use 'go_target' to compile test files and 'go_target_exec' to run the binaries")
+
+func goCmd() string {
+       if *target != "" {
+               return "go_" + *target
+       }
+       return "go"
+}
+
 func main() {
-	cmd := exec.Command("go", "tool", "compile", "-S", "sinit.go")
+	flag.Parse()
+	cmd := exec.Command(goCmd(), "tool", "compile", "-S", "sinit.go")
 	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(string(out))