diff --git a/src/Compilation/Config.zig b/src/Compilation/Config.zig
index 442b7a1b9a..fc4b774baa 100644
--- a/src/Compilation/Config.zig
+++ b/src/Compilation/Config.zig
@@ -408,9 +408,17 @@ pub fn resolve(options: Options) !Config {
         };
     };
 
+    const backend_supports_error_tracing = target_util.backendSupportsFeature(
+        target.cpu.arch,
+        target.ofmt,
+        use_llvm,
+        .error_return_trace,
+    );
+
     const root_error_tracing = b: {
         if (options.root_error_tracing) |x| break :b x;
         if (root_strip) break :b false;
+        if (!backend_supports_error_tracing) break :b false;
         break :b switch (root_optimize_mode) {
             .Debug => true,
             .ReleaseSafe, .ReleaseFast, .ReleaseSmall => false,
@@ -418,6 +426,8 @@ pub fn resolve(options: Options) !Config {
     };
 
     const any_error_tracing = root_error_tracing or options.any_error_tracing;
+    if (any_error_tracing and !backend_supports_error_tracing)
+        return error.BackendLacksErrorTracing;
 
     const rdynamic = options.rdynamic orelse false;
 
diff --git a/src/Module.zig b/src/Module.zig
index d7b82d15a2..86c124e3b5 100644
--- a/src/Module.zig
+++ b/src/Module.zig
@@ -5589,16 +5589,7 @@ pub fn backendSupportsFeature(zcu: Module, feature: Feature) bool {
     const cpu_arch = zcu.root_mod.resolved_target.result.cpu.arch;
     const ofmt = zcu.root_mod.resolved_target.result.ofmt;
     const use_llvm = zcu.comp.config.use_llvm;
-    return switch (feature) {
-        .panic_fn => ofmt == .c or use_llvm or cpu_arch == .x86_64,
-        .panic_unwrap_error => ofmt == .c or use_llvm,
-        .safety_check_formatted => ofmt == .c or use_llvm,
-        .error_return_trace => use_llvm,
-        .is_named_enum_value => use_llvm,
-        .error_set_has_value => use_llvm or cpu_arch.isWasm(),
-        .field_reordering => use_llvm,
-        .safety_checked_instructions => use_llvm,
-    };
+    return target_util.backendSupportsFeature(cpu_arch, ofmt, use_llvm, feature);
 }
 
 /// Shortcut for calling `intern_pool.get`.
diff --git a/src/Sema.zig b/src/Sema.zig
index c2e05e4a2c..3a54b20ea4 100644
--- a/src/Sema.zig
+++ b/src/Sema.zig
@@ -2045,9 +2045,10 @@ fn analyzeAsType(
 
 pub fn setupErrorReturnTrace(sema: *Sema, block: *Block, last_arg_index: usize) !void {
     const mod = sema.mod;
+    const comp = mod.comp;
     const gpa = sema.gpa;
     const ip = &mod.intern_pool;
-    if (!mod.backendSupportsFeature(.error_return_trace)) return;
+    if (!comp.config.any_error_tracing) return;
 
     assert(!block.is_comptime);
     var err_trace_block = block.makeSubBlock();
@@ -6543,7 +6544,6 @@ pub fn analyzeSaveErrRetIndex(sema: *Sema, block: *Block) SemaError!Air.Inst.Ref
     const gpa = sema.gpa;
     const src = sema.src;
 
-    if (!mod.backendSupportsFeature(.error_return_trace)) return .none;
     if (!block.ownerModule().error_tracing) return .none;
 
     if (block.is_comptime)
@@ -6728,7 +6728,7 @@ fn zirCall(
         input_is_error = false;
     }
 
-    if (mod.backendSupportsFeature(.error_return_trace) and block.ownerModule().error_tracing and
+    if (block.ownerModule().error_tracing and
         !block.is_comptime and !block.is_typeof and (input_is_error or pop_error_return_trace))
     {
         const return_ty = sema.typeOf(call_inst);
@@ -18759,8 +18759,6 @@ fn retWithErrTracing(
 
 fn wantErrorReturnTracing(sema: *Sema, fn_ret_ty: Type) bool {
     const mod = sema.mod;
-    if (!mod.backendSupportsFeature(.error_return_trace)) return false;
-
     return fn_ret_ty.isError(mod) and mod.comp.config.any_error_tracing;
 }
 
@@ -18768,8 +18766,6 @@ fn zirSaveErrRetIndex(sema: *Sema, block: *Block, inst: Zir.Inst.Index) CompileE
     const mod = sema.mod;
     const inst_data = sema.code.instructions.items(.data)[@intFromEnum(inst)].save_err_ret_index;
 
-    // TODO: replace all of these checks with logic in module creation
-    if (!mod.backendSupportsFeature(.error_return_trace)) return;
     if (!block.ownerModule().error_tracing) return;
 
     // This is only relevant at runtime.
@@ -18795,7 +18791,6 @@ fn zirRestoreErrRetIndex(sema: *Sema, start_block: *Block, inst: Zir.Inst.Index)
     const mod = sema.mod;
     const ip = &mod.intern_pool;
 
-    if (!mod.backendSupportsFeature(.error_return_trace)) return;
     if (!ip.funcAnalysis(sema.owner_func_index).calls_or_awaits_errorable_fn) return;
     if (!start_block.ownerModule().error_tracing) return;
 
@@ -20068,8 +20063,7 @@ fn getErrorReturnTrace(sema: *Sema, block: *Block) CompileError!Air.Inst.Ref {
 
     if (sema.owner_func_index != .none and
         ip.funcAnalysis(sema.owner_func_index).calls_or_awaits_errorable_fn and
-        block.ownerModule().error_tracing and
-        mod.backendSupportsFeature(.error_return_trace))
+        block.ownerModule().error_tracing)
     {
         return block.addTy(.err_return_trace, opt_ptr_stack_trace_ty);
     }
diff --git a/src/target.zig b/src/target.zig
index 4adc26aff8..d1a98601cf 100644
--- a/src/target.zig
+++ b/src/target.zig
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const std = @import("std");
 const Type = @import("type.zig").Type;
 const AddressSpace = std.builtin.AddressSpace;
 const Alignment = @import("InternPool.zig").Alignment;
+const Feature = @import("Module.zig").Feature;
 
 pub const default_stack_protector_buffer_size = 4;
 
@@ -665,6 +666,24 @@ pub fn zigBackend(target: std.Target, use_llvm: bool) std.builtin.CompilerBacken
     };
 }
 
+pub fn backendSupportsFeature(
+    cpu_arch: std.Target.Cpu.Arch,
+    ofmt: std.Target.ObjectFormat,
+    use_llvm: bool,
+    feature: Feature,
+) bool {
+    return switch (feature) {
+        .panic_fn => ofmt == .c or use_llvm or cpu_arch == .x86_64,
+        .panic_unwrap_error => ofmt == .c or use_llvm,
+        .safety_check_formatted => ofmt == .c or use_llvm,
+        .error_return_trace => use_llvm,
+        .is_named_enum_value => use_llvm,
+        .error_set_has_value => use_llvm or cpu_arch.isWasm(),
+        .field_reordering => use_llvm,
+        .safety_checked_instructions => use_llvm,
+    };
+}
+
 pub fn defaultEntrySymbolName(
     target: std.Target,
     /// May be `undefined` when `target` is not WASI.