diff --git a/src/bin/cargo/commands/install.rs b/src/bin/cargo/commands/install.rs
index f5af6435618..efac1a940c7 100644
--- a/src/bin/cargo/commands/install.rs
+++ b/src/bin/cargo/commands/install.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ pub fn cli() -> App {
             "Install only the specified example",
             "Install all examples",
         )
+        .arg_target_triple("Build for the target triple")
         .arg(opt("root", "Directory to install packages into").value_name("DIR"))
         .after_help(
             "\
@@ -74,9 +75,6 @@ continuous integration systems.",
 pub fn exec(config: &mut Config, args: &ArgMatches) -> CliResult {
     let mut compile_opts = args.compile_options(config, CompileMode::Build)?;
     compile_opts.build_config.release = !args.is_present("debug");
-    // We override target architecture to host architecture since it may be
-    // set to some other architecture in .cargo/config.
-    compile_opts.build_config.requested_target = None;
 
     let krates = args.values_of("crate")
         .unwrap_or_default()
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/install.rs b/tests/testsuite/install.rs
index 78df8638c50..25ee7f1e16f 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/install.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/install.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::io::prelude::*;
 
 use cargo::util::ProcessBuilder;
 use cargotest::install::{cargo_home, has_installed_exe};
+use cargotest::support::cross_compile;
 use cargotest::support::git;
 use cargotest::support::paths;
 use cargotest::support::registry::Package;
@@ -1334,6 +1335,40 @@ fn dev_dependencies_lock_file_untouched() {
     assert!(lock == lock2, "different lockfiles");
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn install_target_native() {
+    pkg("foo", "0.1.0");
+
+    assert_that(
+        cargo_process("install")
+            .arg("foo")
+            .arg("--target")
+            .arg(cargotest::rustc_host()),
+        execs()
+            .with_status(0),
+    );
+    assert_that(cargo_home(), has_installed_exe("foo"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn install_target_foreign() {
+    if cross_compile::disabled() {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    pkg("foo", "0.1.0");
+
+    assert_that(
+        cargo_process("install")
+            .arg("foo")
+            .arg("--target")
+            .arg(cross_compile::alternate()),
+        execs()
+            .with_status(0),
+    );
+    assert_that(cargo_home(), has_installed_exe("foo"));
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn vers_precise() {
     pkg("foo", "0.1.1");
@@ -1606,35 +1641,3 @@ fn git_repo_replace() {
             .contains(&format!("{}", new_rev))
     );
 }
-
-#[test]
-fn install_with_non_existent_target() {
-    pkg("bar", "0.0.1");
-
-    let p = project("foo")
-        .file(
-            "Cargo.toml",
-            r#"
-            [package]
-            name = "foo"
-            version = "0.1.0"
-            authors = []
-        "#,
-        )
-        .file(
-            ".cargo/config",
-            r#"
-            [build]
-            target = "non-existing-target"
-        "#,
-        )
-        .file("src/main.rs", "fn main() {}")
-        .build();
-
-    assert_that(
-        cargo_process("install").arg("bar").cwd(p.root()),
-        execs().with_status(0),
-    );
-    assert_that(cargo_home(), has_installed_exe("bar"));
-}
-