diff --git a/cranelift-backend/src/lib.rs b/cranelift-backend/src/lib.rs
index 70e82eae..418175be 100644
--- a/cranelift-backend/src/lib.rs
+++ b/cranelift-backend/src/lib.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ impl Backend {
 }
 
 impl hblang::backend::Backend for Backend {
+    fn triple(&self) -> String {
+        self.module.as_ref().unwrap().isa().triple().to_string()
+    }
+
     fn assemble_reachable(
         &mut self,
         from: hbty::Func,
diff --git a/lang/README.md b/lang/README.md
index 09122ac5..e76da693 100644
--- a/lang/README.md
+++ b/lang/README.md
@@ -454,6 +454,8 @@ main := fn(): uint {
 	embedded_array := @as([15]u8, @embed("text.txt"))
 	two_fields := @lenof(foo.Type)
 	the_struct_kind := @kindof(foo.Type)
+	if @target("compile-time") die
+	if !@target("*-virt-unknown") die
 	return @inline(foo.foo)
 }
 
@@ -486,6 +488,7 @@ arbitrary text
 - `@Any()`: generic parameter based on inference, TBD: this will ake arguments in the future that restrict what is accepted
 - `@error(...<expr>)`: emit compiler error, if reachable, and use arguments to construct a message, can display strings and types
 - `@ChildOf(<ty>)`: returns the child type of the `<ty>`, works for pointers and optionals (`@ChildOf(?u8) == u8`)
+- `@target("<pat>")`: if the supplied pattern matches the target triple code is compiled to this returns `true`, compile time target is `"compile-time"`
 
 #### c_strings
 ```hb
diff --git a/lang/src/backend/hbvm.rs b/lang/src/backend/hbvm.rs
index 805d0af9..1be31f01 100644
--- a/lang/src/backend/hbvm.rs
+++ b/lang/src/backend/hbvm.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use {
     core::{assert_matches::debug_assert_matches, error, mem, ops::Range},
     hbbytecode::{self as instrs, *},
     reg::Reg,
+    std::borrow::ToOwned,
 };
 
 mod regalloc;
@@ -115,6 +116,10 @@ impl HbvmBackend {
 }
 
 impl Backend for HbvmBackend {
+    fn triple(&self) -> String {
+        TARGET_TRIPLE.to_owned()
+    }
+
     fn assemble_bin(
         &mut self,
         entry: ty::Func,
diff --git a/lang/src/lib.rs b/lang/src/lib.rs
index 3d7553ee..ecdb1a2c 100644
--- a/lang/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lang/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #![feature(
     iter_array_chunks,
+    str_split_remainder,
     assert_matches,
     let_chains,
     if_let_guard,
@@ -75,9 +76,51 @@ pub mod backend {
             utils::EntSlice,
         },
         alloc::{string::String, vec::Vec},
-        core::error,
+        core::{error, mem::take},
     };
 
+    pub fn match_triple(pattern: &str, triple: &str) -> Result<bool, &'static str> {
+        if pattern == "*" {
+            return Err("you can replace this with 'true'");
+        }
+
+        if pattern.ends_with("-*") {
+            return Err("trailing '*' is redundant");
+        }
+
+        let mut matcher = pattern.split('-');
+        let mut matchee = triple.split('-');
+        let mut eat_start = false;
+        loop {
+            match matcher.next() {
+                Some("*") if eat_start => return Err("consecutive '*' are redundant"),
+                Some("*") if matchee.next().is_none() => return Ok(false),
+                Some("*") => eat_start = true,
+                Some(pat) if take(&mut eat_start) => {
+                    if matchee.by_ref().all(|v| v != pat) {
+                        return Ok(false);
+                    }
+                }
+                Some(pat) if matchee.next() != Some(pat) => return Ok(false),
+                Some(_) => {}
+                None => return Ok(true),
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn sanity_match_triple() {
+        assert!(match_triple("a-b-c", "a-b-c").unwrap());
+        assert!(match_triple("*-b-c", "a-b-c").unwrap());
+        assert!(match_triple("*-c", "a-b-c").unwrap());
+        assert!(match_triple("a", "a-b-c").unwrap());
+
+        assert!(!match_triple("*-a", "a-b-c").unwrap());
+        assert!(!match_triple("*-a", "a-b-c").unwrap());
+        assert!(match_triple("*-*", "a-b-c").is_err());
+        assert!(match_triple("*-b-*", "a-b-c").is_err());
+    }
+
     pub mod hbvm;
 
     pub struct AssemblySpec {
@@ -87,6 +130,7 @@ pub mod backend {
     }
 
     pub trait Backend {
+        fn triple(&self) -> String;
         fn assemble_reachable(
             &mut self,
             from: ty::Func,
diff --git a/lang/src/son.rs b/lang/src/son.rs
index bdff748d..b289696d 100644
--- a/lang/src/son.rs
+++ b/lang/src/son.rs
@@ -564,6 +564,7 @@ pub struct Codegen<'a> {
     pub files: &'a EntSlice<Module, parser::Ast>,
     pub errors: &'a RefCell<String>,
     pub warnings: &'a RefCell<String>,
+    backend_triple: String,
     tys: &'a mut Types,
     ci: ItemCtx,
     pool: &'a mut Pool,
@@ -596,6 +597,7 @@ impl<'a> Codegen<'a> {
             files: files.into(),
             errors: &ctx.parser.errors,
             warnings: &ctx.parser.warnings,
+            backend_triple: backend.triple(),
             tys: &mut ctx.tys,
             ci: Default::default(),
             pool: &mut ctx.pool,
@@ -1446,6 +1448,16 @@ impl<'a> Codegen<'a> {
                     self.ci.nodes.new_node(glob.ty, Kind::Global { global: id }, [VOID], self.tys);
                 Some(Value::ptr(g).ty(glob.ty))
             }
+            Expr::Directive { name: "target", args: &[Expr::String { pos, literal }], .. } => {
+                let value = match crate::backend::match_triple(
+                    &literal[1..literal.len() - 1],
+                    if self.ct.active() { "compile-time" } else { &self.backend_triple },
+                ) {
+                    Ok(v) => v,
+                    Err(msg) => return self.error(pos, msg),
+                };
+                self.gen_inferred_const(ctx, ty::Id::BOOL, value)
+            }
             Expr::Directive { name: "kindof", args: [ty], .. } => {
                 let ty = self.ty(ty);
                 self.gen_inferred_const(ctx, ty::Id::U8, ty.kind())