diff --git a/src/cargo/core/compiler/mod.rs b/src/cargo/core/compiler/mod.rs
index 86c39b2bef9..8e782b5dee0 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/compiler/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/compiler/mod.rs
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ fn link_targets(cx: &mut Context<'_, '_>, unit: &Unit, fresh: bool) -> CargoResu
     let export_dir = cx.files().export_dir();
     let package_id = unit.pkg.package_id();
     let manifest_path = PathBuf::from(unit.pkg.manifest_path());
-    let profile = unit.profile;
+    let profile = unit.profile.clone();
     let unit_mode = unit.mode;
     let features = unit.features.iter().map(|s| s.to_string()).collect();
     let json_messages = bcx.build_config.emit_json();
@@ -853,8 +853,9 @@ fn build_base_args(
         ref panic,
         incremental,
         strip,
+        rustflags,
         ..
-    } = unit.profile;
+    } = unit.profile.clone();
     let test = unit.mode.is_any_test();
 
     cmd.arg("--crate-name").arg(&unit.target.crate_name());
@@ -904,6 +905,10 @@ fn build_base_args(
         cmd.arg("-C").arg(&format!("opt-level={}", opt_level));
     }
 
+    if !rustflags.is_empty() {
+        cmd.args(&rustflags);
+    }
+
     if *panic != PanicStrategy::Unwind {
         cmd.arg("-C").arg(format!("panic={}", panic));
     }
diff --git a/src/cargo/core/features.rs b/src/cargo/core/features.rs
index 968290a380e..85eae245d36 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/features.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/features.rs
@@ -409,6 +409,9 @@ features! {
 
     // Allow specifying different binary name apart from the crate name
     (unstable, different_binary_name, "", "reference/unstable.html#different-binary-name"),
+
+    // Allow specifying rustflags directly in a profile
+    (unstable, profile_rustflags, "", "reference/unstable.html#profile-rustflags-option"),
 }
 
 pub struct Feature {
diff --git a/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs b/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
index fe88e724e28..eafc00a64c6 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ impl ProfileMaker {
         is_member: bool,
         unit_for: UnitFor,
     ) -> Profile {
-        let mut profile = self.default;
+        let mut profile = self.default.clone();
 
         // First apply profile-specific settings, things like
         // `[profile.release]`
@@ -626,6 +626,9 @@ fn merge_profile(profile: &mut Profile, toml: &TomlProfile) {
     if let Some(incremental) = toml.incremental {
         profile.incremental = incremental;
     }
+    if let Some(flags) = &toml.rustflags {
+        profile.rustflags = flags.clone();
+    }
     profile.strip = match toml.strip {
         Some(StringOrBool::Bool(true)) => Strip::Named(InternedString::new("symbols")),
         None | Some(StringOrBool::Bool(false)) => Strip::None,
@@ -647,7 +650,7 @@ pub enum ProfileRoot {
 
 /// Profile settings used to determine which compiler flags to use for a
 /// target.
-#[derive(Clone, Copy, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Clone, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, serde::Serialize)]
 pub struct Profile {
     pub name: InternedString,
     pub opt_level: InternedString,
@@ -666,6 +669,9 @@ pub struct Profile {
     pub incremental: bool,
     pub panic: PanicStrategy,
     pub strip: Strip,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")] // remove when `rustflags` is stablized
+    // Note that `rustflags` is used for the cargo-feature `profile_rustflags`
+    pub rustflags: Vec<InternedString>,
 }
 
 impl Default for Profile {
@@ -685,6 +691,7 @@ impl Default for Profile {
             incremental: false,
             panic: PanicStrategy::Unwind,
             strip: Strip::None,
+            rustflags: vec![],
         }
     }
 }
@@ -712,6 +719,7 @@ compact_debug! {
                 incremental
                 panic
                 strip
+                rustflags
             )]
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs
index fc78dbfc63b..a21cf4f429b 100644
--- a/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/ops/cargo_compile.rs
@@ -1606,7 +1606,7 @@ fn traverse_and_share(
     let new_unit = interner.intern(
         &unit.pkg,
         &unit.target,
-        unit.profile,
+        unit.profile.clone(),
         new_kind,
         unit.mode,
         unit.features.clone(),
diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
index 39835c75285..b955d460d21 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
@@ -413,6 +413,8 @@ pub struct TomlProfile {
     pub dir_name: Option<InternedString>,
     pub inherits: Option<InternedString>,
     pub strip: Option<StringOrBool>,
+    // Note that `rustflags` is used for the cargo-feature `profile_rustflags`
+    pub rustflags: Option<Vec<InternedString>>,
     // These two fields must be last because they are sub-tables, and TOML
     // requires all non-tables to be listed first.
     pub package: Option<BTreeMap<ProfilePackageSpec, TomlProfile>>,
@@ -530,6 +532,10 @@ impl TomlProfile {
             }
         }
 
+        if self.rustflags.is_some() {
+            features.require(Feature::profile_rustflags())?;
+        }
+
         if let Some(codegen_backend) = &self.codegen_backend {
             features.require(Feature::codegen_backend())?;
             if codegen_backend.contains(|c: char| !c.is_ascii_alphanumeric() && c != '_') {
@@ -691,6 +697,10 @@ impl TomlProfile {
             self.incremental = Some(v);
         }
 
+        if let Some(v) = &profile.rustflags {
+            self.rustflags = Some(v.clone());
+        }
+
         if let Some(other_package) = &profile.package {
             match &mut self.package {
                 Some(self_package) => {
diff --git a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
index ff29e8f2bc5..b1c06e567e9 100644
--- a/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
+++ b/src/doc/src/reference/unstable.md
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ Each new feature described below should explain how to use it.
     * [rustdoc-map](#rustdoc-map) — Provides mappings for documentation to link to external sites like [docs.rs](https://docs.rs/).
 * `Cargo.toml` extensions
     * [Profile `strip` option](#profile-strip-option) — Forces the removal of debug information and symbols from executables.
+    * [Profile `rustflags` option](#profile-rustflags-option) — Passed directly to rustc.
     * [per-package-target](#per-package-target) — Sets the `--target` to use for each individual package.
 * Information and metadata
     * [Build-plan](#build-plan) — Emits JSON information on which commands will be run.
@@ -820,6 +821,24 @@ The following is a description of the JSON structure:
 }
 ```
 
+### Profile `rustflags` option
+* Original Issue: [rust-lang/cargo#7878](https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/issues/7878)
+* Tracking Issue: [rust-lang/cargo#10271](https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/issues/10271)
+
+This feature provides a new option in the `[profile]` section to specify flags
+that are passed directly to rustc.
+This can be enabled like so:
+
+```toml
+cargo-features = ["profile-rustflags"]
+
+[package]
+# ...
+
+[profile.release]
+rustflags = [ "-C", "..." ]
+```
+
 ### rustdoc-map
 * Tracking Issue: [#8296](https://github.com/rust-lang/cargo/issues/8296)
 
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/config.rs b/tests/testsuite/config.rs
index e6576eee2b0..95549cfc387 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/config.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/config.rs
@@ -1484,6 +1484,7 @@ fn all_profile_options() {
         strip: Some(toml::StringOrBool::String("symbols".to_string())),
         package: None,
         build_override: None,
+        rustflags: None,
     };
     let mut overrides = BTreeMap::new();
     let key = toml::ProfilePackageSpec::Spec(PackageIdSpec::parse("foo").unwrap());
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/profiles.rs b/tests/testsuite/profiles.rs
index 4f5ed76644e..97246776505 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/profiles.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/profiles.rs
@@ -595,3 +595,101 @@ fn strip_accepts_false_to_disable_strip() {
         .with_stderr_does_not_contain("-C strip")
         .run();
 }
+
+#[cargo_test]
+fn rustflags_works() {
+    let p = project()
+        .file(
+            "Cargo.toml",
+            r#"
+            cargo-features = ["profile-rustflags"]
+
+            [profile.dev]
+            rustflags = ["-C", "link-dead-code=yes"]
+
+            [package]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.0.1"
+            "#,
+        )
+        .file("src/main.rs", "fn main() {}")
+        .build();
+
+    p.cargo("build -v")
+        .masquerade_as_nightly_cargo()
+        .with_stderr(
+            "\
+[COMPILING] foo [..]
+[RUNNING] `rustc --crate-name foo [..] -C link-dead-code=yes [..]
+[FINISHED] [..]
+",
+        )
+        .run();
+}
+
+#[cargo_test]
+fn rustflags_works_with_env() {
+    let p = project()
+        .file(
+            "Cargo.toml",
+            r#"
+            cargo-features = ["profile-rustflags"]
+
+            [package]
+            name = "foo"
+            version = "0.0.1"
+            "#,
+        )
+        .file("src/main.rs", "fn main() {}")
+        .build();
+
+    p.cargo("build -v")
+        .env("CARGO_PROFILE_DEV_RUSTFLAGS", "-C link-dead-code=yes")
+        .masquerade_as_nightly_cargo()
+        .with_stderr(
+            "\
+[COMPILING] foo [..]
+[RUNNING] `rustc --crate-name foo [..] -C link-dead-code=yes [..]
+[FINISHED] [..]
+",
+        )
+        .run();
+}
+
+#[cargo_test]
+fn rustflags_requires_cargo_feature() {
+    let p = project()
+        .file(
+            "Cargo.toml",
+            r#"
+                [profile.dev]
+                rustflags = ["-C", "link-dead-code=yes"]
+
+                [package]
+                name = "foo"
+                version = "0.0.1"
+            "#,
+        )
+        .file("src/main.rs", "fn main() {}")
+        .build();
+
+    p.cargo("build -v")
+        .masquerade_as_nightly_cargo()
+        .with_status(101)
+        .with_stderr(
+            "\
+[ERROR] failed to parse manifest at `[CWD]/Cargo.toml`
+
+Caused by:
+  feature `profile-rustflags` is required
+
+  The package requires the Cargo feature called `profile-rustflags`, but that feature is \
+  not stabilized in this version of Cargo (1.[..]).
+  Consider adding `cargo-features = [\"profile-rustflags\"]` to the top of Cargo.toml \
+  (above the [package] table) to tell Cargo you are opting in to use this unstable feature.
+  See https://doc.rust-lang.org/nightly/cargo/reference/unstable.html#profile-rustflags-option \
+  for more information about the status of this feature.
+",
+        )
+        .run();
+}