diff --git a/compiler/rustc_abi/src/lib.rs b/compiler/rustc_abi/src/lib.rs
index c88a60c62b9df..aa3a666b0b29c 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_abi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_abi/src/lib.rs
@@ -171,7 +171,9 @@ pub struct TargetDataLayout {
 
     pub instruction_address_space: AddressSpace,
 
-    /// Minimum size of #[repr(C)] enums (default I32 bits)
+    /// Minimum size of #[repr(C)] enums (default c_int::BITS, usually 32)
+    /// Note: This isn't in LLVM's data layout string, it is `short_enum`
+    /// so the only valid spec for LLVM is c_int::BITS or 8
     pub c_enum_min_size: Integer,
 }
 
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabi.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabi.rs
index 8c65d6afcc182..f6f46aac4c391 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabi.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabi.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             max_atomic_width: Some(32),
             emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
             // GCC and Clang default to 8 for arm-none here
-            c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+            c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
             ..Default::default()
         },
     }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabihf.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabihf.rs
index 7013bc60d16ba..9608efe8bcf60 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabihf.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armebv7r_none_eabihf.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             max_atomic_width: Some(32),
             emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
             // GCC and Clang default to 8 for arm-none here
-            c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+            c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
             ..Default::default()
         },
     }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv4t_none_eabi.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv4t_none_eabi.rs
index 7ac1aab3b43c8..28b109889e928 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv4t_none_eabi.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv4t_none_eabi.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             // from thumb_base, rust-lang/rust#44993.
             emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
             // from thumb_base, apparently gcc/clang give enums a minimum of 8 bits on no-os targets
-            c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+            c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
             ..Default::default()
         },
     }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabi.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabi.rs
index 4e20fb3256975..d59de86a23012 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabi.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabi.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         max_atomic_width: Some(64),
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
         emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
-        c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+        c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
         ..Default::default()
     };
     Target {
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabihf.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabihf.rs
index ae70129ae5182..8cdf3c36ba2ea 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabihf.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7a_none_eabihf.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
         panic_strategy: PanicStrategy::Abort,
         emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
         // GCC and Clang default to 8 for arm-none here
-        c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+        c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
         ..Default::default()
     };
     Target {
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabi.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabi.rs
index 25f301ccce744..5225abf44fca4 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabi.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabi.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             max_atomic_width: Some(32),
             emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
             // GCC and Clang default to 8 for arm-none here
-            c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+            c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
             ..Default::default()
         },
     }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabihf.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabihf.rs
index 40449759dd377..9a35e04617f9c 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabihf.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/armv7r_none_eabihf.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             max_atomic_width: Some(32),
             emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
             // GCC and Clang default to 8 for arm-none here
-            c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+            c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
             ..Default::default()
         },
     }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hexagon_unknown_linux_musl.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hexagon_unknown_linux_musl.rs
index 3aad05eb2719b..4c6ab5f5ae454 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hexagon_unknown_linux_musl.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/hexagon_unknown_linux_musl.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
     base.has_rpath = true;
     base.linker_flavor = LinkerFlavor::Unix(Cc::Yes);
 
-    base.c_enum_min_bits = 8;
+    base.c_enum_min_bits = Some(8);
 
     Target {
         llvm_target: "hexagon-unknown-linux-musl".into(),
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs
index bc1920e34249a..ef60956a6178a 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/mod.rs
@@ -1344,10 +1344,18 @@ impl Target {
             });
         }
 
-        dl.c_enum_min_size = match Integer::from_size(Size::from_bits(self.c_enum_min_bits)) {
-            Ok(bits) => bits,
-            Err(err) => return Err(TargetDataLayoutErrors::InvalidBitsSize { err }),
-        };
+        dl.c_enum_min_size = self
+            .c_enum_min_bits
+            .map_or_else(
+                || {
+                    self.c_int_width
+                        .parse()
+                        .map_err(|_| String::from("failed to parse c_int_width"))
+                },
+                Ok,
+            )
+            .and_then(|i| Integer::from_size(Size::from_bits(i)))
+            .map_err(|err| TargetDataLayoutErrors::InvalidBitsSize { err })?;
 
         Ok(dl)
     }
@@ -1701,8 +1709,8 @@ pub struct TargetOptions {
     /// If present it's a default value to use for adjusting the C ABI.
     pub default_adjusted_cabi: Option<Abi>,
 
-    /// Minimum number of bits in #[repr(C)] enum. Defaults to 32.
-    pub c_enum_min_bits: u64,
+    /// Minimum number of bits in #[repr(C)] enum. Defaults to the size of c_int
+    pub c_enum_min_bits: Option<u64>,
 
     /// Whether or not the DWARF `.debug_aranges` section should be generated.
     pub generate_arange_section: bool,
@@ -1935,7 +1943,7 @@ impl Default for TargetOptions {
             supported_split_debuginfo: Cow::Borrowed(&[SplitDebuginfo::Off]),
             supported_sanitizers: SanitizerSet::empty(),
             default_adjusted_cabi: None,
-            c_enum_min_bits: 32,
+            c_enum_min_bits: None,
             generate_arange_section: true,
             supports_stack_protector: true,
             entry_name: "main".into(),
@@ -2122,12 +2130,6 @@ impl Target {
                     base.$key_name = s;
                 }
             } );
-            ($key_name:ident, u64) => ( {
-                let name = (stringify!($key_name)).replace("_", "-");
-                if let Some(s) = obj.remove(&name).and_then(|j| Json::as_u64(&j)) {
-                    base.$key_name = s;
-                }
-            } );
             ($key_name:ident, u32) => ( {
                 let name = (stringify!($key_name)).replace("_", "-");
                 if let Some(s) = obj.remove(&name).and_then(|b| b.as_u64()) {
@@ -2496,6 +2498,7 @@ impl Target {
 
         key!(is_builtin, bool);
         key!(c_int_width = "target-c-int-width");
+        key!(c_enum_min_bits, Option<u64>); // if None, matches c_int_width
         key!(os);
         key!(env);
         key!(abi);
@@ -2591,7 +2594,6 @@ impl Target {
         key!(supported_split_debuginfo, falliable_list)?;
         key!(supported_sanitizers, SanitizerSet)?;
         key!(default_adjusted_cabi, Option<Abi>)?;
-        key!(c_enum_min_bits, u64);
         key!(generate_arange_section, bool);
         key!(supports_stack_protector, bool);
         key!(entry_name);
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumb_base.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumb_base.rs
index 000766c57ce79..4dcf47fe465c3 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumb_base.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumb_base.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ pub fn opts() -> TargetOptions {
         frame_pointer: FramePointer::Always,
         // ARM supports multiple ABIs for enums, the linux one matches the default of 32 here
         // but any arm-none or thumb-none target will be defaulted to 8 on GCC and clang
-        c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+        c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
         ..Default::default()
     }
 }
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs
index 5a3e4c88d3a9b..e3734932f8855 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/spec/thumbv4t_none_eabi.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ pub fn target() -> Target {
             // suggested from thumb_base, rust-lang/rust#44993.
             emit_debug_gdb_scripts: false,
             // suggested from thumb_base, with no-os gcc/clang use 8-bit enums
-            c_enum_min_bits: 8,
+            c_enum_min_bits: Some(8),
             frame_pointer: FramePointer::MayOmit,
 
             main_needs_argc_argv: false,
diff --git a/tests/ui/repr/16-bit-repr-c-enum.rs b/tests/ui/repr/16-bit-repr-c-enum.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..2acfde4be46d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/repr/16-bit-repr-c-enum.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// build-pass
+// revisions: avr msp430
+//
+// [avr] needs-llvm-components: avr
+// [avr] compile-flags: --target=avr-unknown-gnu-atmega328 --crate-type=rlib
+// [msp430] needs-llvm-components: msp430
+// [msp430] compile-flags: --target=msp430-none-elf --crate-type=rlib
+#![feature(no_core, lang_items, intrinsics, staged_api)]
+#![no_core]
+#![crate_type = "lib"]
+#![stable(feature = "", since = "")]
+#![allow(dead_code)]
+
+// Test that the repr(C) attribute doesn't break compilation
+// Previous bad assumption was that 32-bit enum default width is fine on msp430, avr
+// But the width of the C int on these platforms is 16 bits, and C enums <= C int range
+// so we want no more than that, usually. This resulted in errors like
+// "layout decided on a larger discriminant type (I32) than typeck (I16)"
+#[repr(C)]
+enum Foo {
+    Bar,
+}
+
+extern "rust-intrinsic" {
+    #[stable(feature = "", since = "")]
+    #[rustc_const_stable(feature = "", since = "")]
+    #[rustc_safe_intrinsic]
+    fn size_of<T>() -> usize;
+}
+
+#[lang="sized"]
+trait Sized {}
+#[lang="copy"]
+trait Copy {}
+
+const EXPECTED: usize = 2;
+const ACTUAL: usize = size_of::<Foo>();
+// Validate that the size is indeed 16 bits, to match this C static_assert:
+/**
+```c
+#include <assert.h>
+enum foo {
+    BAR
+};
+int main(void)
+{
+    /* passes on msp430-elf-gcc */
+    static_assert(sizeof(enum foo) == 2);
+}
+```
+*/
+const _: [(); EXPECTED] = [(); ACTUAL];