diff --git a/src/librustc/session/config.rs b/src/librustc/session/config.rs
index ecc8042e9404f..a78482171a0de 100644
--- a/src/librustc/session/config.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/session/config.rs
@@ -943,6 +943,7 @@ pub fn default_configuration(sess: &Session) -> ast::CrateConfig {
     let os = &sess.target.target.target_os;
     let env = &sess.target.target.target_env;
     let vendor = &sess.target.target.target_vendor;
+    let min_atomic_width = sess.target.target.min_atomic_width();
     let max_atomic_width = sess.target.target.max_atomic_width();
 
     let mut ret = HashSet::new();
@@ -963,7 +964,7 @@ pub fn default_configuration(sess: &Session) -> ast::CrateConfig {
         ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_thread_local"), None));
     }
     for &i in &[8, 16, 32, 64, 128] {
-        if i <= max_atomic_width {
+        if i >= min_atomic_width && i <= max_atomic_width {
             let s = i.to_string();
             ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_has_atomic"), Some(Symbol::intern(&s))));
             if &s == wordsz {
diff --git a/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs b/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs
index 8c37eb6986a7c..6a409edf0fecc 100644
--- a/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_back/target/mod.rs
@@ -376,6 +376,9 @@ pub struct TargetOptions {
     // file
     pub no_integrated_as: bool,
 
+    /// Don't use this field; instead use the `.min_atomic_width()` method.
+    pub min_atomic_width: Option<u64>,
+
     /// Don't use this field; instead use the `.max_atomic_width()` method.
     pub max_atomic_width: Option<u64>,
 
@@ -439,6 +442,7 @@ impl Default for TargetOptions {
             has_elf_tls: false,
             obj_is_bitcode: false,
             no_integrated_as: false,
+            min_atomic_width: None,
             max_atomic_width: None,
             panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Unwind,
             abi_blacklist: vec![],
@@ -462,6 +466,12 @@ impl Target {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Minimum integer size in bits that this target can perform atomic
+    /// operations on.
+    pub fn min_atomic_width(&self) -> u64 {
+        self.options.min_atomic_width.unwrap_or(8)
+    }
+
     /// Maximum integer size in bits that this target can perform atomic
     /// operations on.
     pub fn max_atomic_width(&self) -> u64 {
@@ -604,6 +614,7 @@ impl Target {
         key!(obj_is_bitcode, bool);
         key!(no_integrated_as, bool);
         key!(max_atomic_width, Option<u64>);
+        key!(min_atomic_width, Option<u64>);
         try!(key!(panic_strategy, PanicStrategy));
         key!(crt_static_default, bool);
 
@@ -766,6 +777,7 @@ impl ToJson for Target {
         target_option_val!(has_elf_tls);
         target_option_val!(obj_is_bitcode);
         target_option_val!(no_integrated_as);
+        target_option_val!(min_atomic_width);
         target_option_val!(max_atomic_width);
         target_option_val!(panic_strategy);
         target_option_val!(crt_static_default);