diff --git a/src/targets.rs b/src/targets.rs
index c79aeca..d14a760 100644
--- a/src/targets.rs
+++ b/src/targets.rs
@@ -1006,7 +1006,9 @@ pub(crate) fn default_binary_format(triple: &Triple) -> BinaryFormat {
         | OperatingSystem::Wasi
         | OperatingSystem::Unknown => match triple.architecture {
             Architecture::Wasm32 | Architecture::Wasm64 => BinaryFormat::Wasm,
-            _ => BinaryFormat::Unknown,
+            Architecture::Unknown => BinaryFormat::Unknown,
+            // Default to ELF, following `getDefaultFormat` in LLVM.
+            _ => BinaryFormat::Elf,
         },
         _ => BinaryFormat::Elf,
     }
@@ -1820,6 +1822,19 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn default_format_to_elf() {
+        let t = Triple::from_str("riscv64").expect("can't parse target");
+        assert_eq!(
+            t.architecture,
+            Architecture::Riscv64(Riscv64Architecture::Riscv64),
+        );
+        assert_eq!(t.vendor, Vendor::Unknown);
+        assert_eq!(t.operating_system, OperatingSystem::Unknown);
+        assert_eq!(t.environment, Environment::Unknown);
+        assert_eq!(t.binary_format, BinaryFormat::Elf);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn thumbv7em_none_eabihf() {
         let t = Triple::from_str("thumbv7em-none-eabihf").expect("can't parse target");
@@ -1915,7 +1930,7 @@ mod tests {
         );
         assert_eq!(t.operating_system, OperatingSystem::Unknown);
         assert_eq!(t.environment, Environment::Unknown);
-        assert_eq!(t.binary_format, BinaryFormat::Unknown);
+        assert_eq!(t.binary_format, BinaryFormat::Elf);
 
         assert_eq!(
             Triple::from_str("unknown-foo"),
diff --git a/src/triple.rs b/src/triple.rs
index b39eb12..947fedd 100644
--- a/src/triple.rs
+++ b/src/triple.rs
@@ -261,13 +261,37 @@ impl fmt::Display for Triple {
             }
         }
 
-        if self.binary_format != implied_binary_format {
+        if self.binary_format != implied_binary_format || show_binary_format_with_no_os(self) {
+            // As a special case, omit a non-default binary format for some
+            // targets which happen to exclude it.
             write!(f, "-{}", self.binary_format)?;
         }
         Ok(())
     }
 }
 
+fn show_binary_format_with_no_os(triple: &Triple) -> bool {
+    if triple.binary_format == BinaryFormat::Unknown {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    #[cfg(feature = "arch_zkasm")]
+    {
+        if triple.architecture == Architecture::ZkAsm {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    triple.environment != Environment::Eabi
+        && triple.environment != Environment::Eabihf
+        && triple.environment != Environment::Sgx
+        && triple.architecture != Architecture::Avr
+        && triple.architecture != Architecture::Wasm32
+        && triple.architecture != Architecture::Wasm64
+        && (triple.operating_system == OperatingSystem::None_
+            || triple.operating_system == OperatingSystem::Unknown)
+}
+
 impl FromStr for Triple {
     type Err = ParseError;