diff --git a/ctest/src/generator.rs b/ctest/src/generator.rs
index b79d319fe950a..3a976ba7d3667 100644
--- a/ctest/src/generator.rs
+++ b/ctest/src/generator.rs
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ pub struct TestGenerator {
     pub(crate) includes: Vec<PathBuf>,
     out_dir: Option<PathBuf>,
     pub(crate) flags: Vec<String>,
+    pub(crate) flags_if_supported: Vec<String>,
     pub(crate) global_defines: Vec<(String, Option<String>)>,
     cfg: Vec<(String, Option<String>)>,
     mapped_names: Vec<MappedName>,
@@ -670,6 +671,15 @@ impl TestGenerator {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Add a flag to the C compiler invocation if the compiler supports it.
+    ///
+    /// This is useful for warning suppressions that are only available on some
+    /// compiler families or versions.
+    pub fn flag_if_supported(&mut self, flag: &str) -> &mut Self {
+        self.flags_if_supported.push(flag.to_string());
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Set a `-D` flag for the C compiler being called.
     ///
     /// This can be used to define various global variables to configure how header
diff --git a/ctest/src/runner.rs b/ctest/src/runner.rs
index d55bd50bc7275..26c9d82cb2d38 100644
--- a/ctest/src/runner.rs
+++ b/ctest/src/runner.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ pub fn generate_test(
     let mut cfg = cc::Build::new();
     cfg.file(output_file_path.with_extension(generator.language.extension()));
     cfg.host(&host);
+    cfg.target(&target);
 
     if target.contains("msvc") {
         cfg.flag("/W3")
@@ -63,10 +64,12 @@ pub fn generate_test(
             .flag("-Werror")
             .flag("-Wno-unused-parameter")
             .flag("-Wno-type-limits")
-            // allow taking address of packed struct members:
-            .flag("-Wno-address-of-packed-member")
-            .flag("-Wno-unknown-warning-option")
-            .flag("-Wno-deprecated-declarations"); // allow deprecated items
+            .flag("-Wno-deprecated-declarations") // allow deprecated items
+            // Probe support instead of assuming a compiler family. This keeps
+            // the suppression on newer GCC/Clang while avoiding regressions on
+            // older toolchains that reject these flags.
+            .flag_if_supported("-Wno-address-of-packed-member")
+            .flag_if_supported("-Wno-unknown-warning-option");
     }
 
     for p in &generator.includes {
@@ -77,6 +80,10 @@ pub fn generate_test(
         cfg.flag(flag);
     }
 
+    for flag in &generator.flags_if_supported {
+        cfg.flag_if_supported(flag);
+    }
+
     for (k, v) in &generator.global_defines {
         cfg.define(k, v.as_ref().map(|s| &s[..]));
     }
@@ -84,8 +91,7 @@ pub fn generate_test(
     cfg.cpp(matches!(generator.language, Language::CXX));
 
     let stem: &str = output_file_path.file_stem().unwrap().to_str().unwrap();
-    cfg.target(&target)
-        .out_dir(output_file_path.parent().unwrap())
+    cfg.out_dir(output_file_path.parent().unwrap())
         .compile(stem);
 
     Ok(output_file_path)