diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/attributes.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/attributes.rs
index 4073d521293a9..f42baf5d80838 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/attributes.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/attributes.rs
@@ -222,7 +222,11 @@ pub(crate) fn frame_pointer(sess: &Session) -> FramePointer {
     if let InstrumentMcount::Mcount(_) = opts.unstable_opts.instrument_mcount {
         fp.ratchet(FramePointer::Always);
     }
-    fp.ratchet(opts.cg.force_frame_pointers);
+    // On s390x, `-Cforce-frame-pointers` opts in to the `backchain` LLVM  function attribute
+    // (set in `s390x_fn_attrs`) instead of the generic `frame-pointer` attribute.
+    if !(sess.target.arch == Arch::S390x) {
+        fp.ratchet(opts.cg.force_frame_pointers);
+    }
     fp
 }
 
@@ -396,34 +400,44 @@ fn stackprotector_attr<'ll>(cx: &SimpleCx<'ll>, sess: &Session) -> Option<&'ll A
     Some(sspattr.create_attr(cx.llcx))
 }
 
-fn packed_stack_attr<'ll>(
+/// s390x specific function attributes
+/// - `-Cforce-frame-pointers` emits "backchain"
+/// - "backchain" + "packed_stack" enforces "softfloat"
+fn s390x_fn_attrs<'ll>(
     cx: &SimpleCx<'ll>,
     sess: &Session,
-    function_attributes: &Vec<TargetFeature>,
-) -> Option<&'ll Attribute> {
+    fn_target_features: &[TargetFeature],
+) -> Vec<&'ll Attribute> {
     if sess.target.arch != Arch::S390x {
-        return None;
+        return vec![];
+    }
+
+    let mut attrs = Vec::new();
+
+    // `-Cforce-frame-pointers` enables `backchain`
+    let have_backchain = sess.opts.cg.force_frame_pointers != FramePointer::MayOmit;
+    if have_backchain {
+        attrs.push(llvm::CreateAttrString(cx.llcx, "backchain"));
     }
+
+    // only continue if we have packed_stack
     if !sess.opts.unstable_opts.packed_stack {
-        return None;
+        return attrs;
     }
 
-    // The backchain and softfloat flags can be set via -Ctarget-features=...
-    // or via #[target_features(enable = ...)] so we have to check both possibilities
-    let have_backchain = sess.internal_target_features.contains(&sym::backchain)
-        || function_attributes.iter().any(|feature| feature.name == sym::backchain);
     let have_softfloat = sess.internal_target_features.contains(&sym::soft_float)
-        || function_attributes.iter().any(|feature| feature.name == sym::soft_float);
+        || fn_target_features.iter().any(|f| f.name == sym::soft_float);
 
     // If both, backchain and packedstack, are enabled LLVM cannot generate valid function entry points
     // with the default ABI. However if the softfloat flag is set LLVM will switch to the softfloat
     // ABI, where this works.
     if have_backchain && !have_softfloat {
         sess.dcx().emit_err(PackedStackBackchainNeedsSoftfloat);
-        return None;
+        return attrs;
     }
 
-    Some(llvm::CreateAttrString(cx.llcx, "packed-stack"))
+    attrs.push(llvm::CreateAttrString(cx.llcx, "packed-stack"));
+    attrs
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn target_cpu_attr<'ll>(cx: &SimpleCx<'ll>, sess: &Session) -> &'ll Attribute {
@@ -650,9 +664,12 @@ pub(crate) fn llfn_attrs_from_instance<'ll, 'tcx>(
     if let Some(align) = codegen_fn_attrs.alignment {
         llvm::set_alignment(llfn, align);
     }
-    if let Some(packed_stack) = packed_stack_attr(cx, sess, &codegen_fn_attrs.target_features) {
-        to_add.push(packed_stack);
+
+    // Apply and check s390x-specific attributes: backchain and packed-stack.
+    if sess.target.arch == Arch::S390x {
+        to_add.extend(s390x_fn_attrs(cx, sess, &codegen_fn_attrs.target_features));
     }
+
     to_add.extend(patchable_function_entry_attrs(
         cx,
         sess,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/diagnostics.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/diagnostics.rs
index 08b96770e46d1..a06f22310c310 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/diagnostics.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_llvm/src/diagnostics.rs
@@ -227,9 +227,9 @@ pub(crate) struct FixedX18InvalidArch<'a> {
 }
 
 #[derive(Diagnostic)]
-#[diag("`-Zpacked-stack` is incompatible with `backchain` target feature")]
+#[diag("`-Zpacked-stack` is incompatible with `-Cforce-frame-pointers` on s390x")]
 #[note(
-    "enabling both `-Zpacked-stack` and the `backchain` target feature is incompatible with the default s390x ABI. Switch to s390x-unknown-none-softfloat if you need both attributes"
+    "`-Zpacked-stack` and `-Cforce-frame-pointers` is incompatible with the default s390x ABI (note that force-frame-pointers is implemented via backchain)"
 )]
 pub(crate) struct PackedStackBackchainNeedsSoftfloat;
 
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_span/src/symbol.rs b/compiler/rustc_span/src/symbol.rs
index 3debf3248ff80..57c20a8d610ff 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_span/src/symbol.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_span/src/symbol.rs
@@ -542,7 +542,6 @@ symbols! {
         avx512bw,
         avx512f,
         await_macro,
-        backchain,
         backend_repr,
         begin_panic,
         bench,
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_target/src/target_features.rs b/compiler/rustc_target/src/target_features.rs
index 2ee7dea9f8af3..2ee73bf9fadd5 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_target/src/target_features.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_target/src/target_features.rs
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ static LOONGARCH_FEATURES: &[(&str, Stability, ImpliedFeatures)] = &[
 const IBMZ_FEATURES: &[(&str, Stability, ImpliedFeatures)] = &[
     // tidy-alphabetical-start
     // For "backchain", https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/142412 is a stabilization blocker
-    ("backchain", Unstable(sym::s390x_target_feature), &[]),
+    ("backchain", InternalOnly { reason: "use `-Cforce-frame-pointers` compiler flag instead", hard_error: true }, &[]),
     ("concurrent-functions", Unstable(sym::s390x_target_feature), &[]),
     ("deflate-conversion", Unstable(sym::s390x_target_feature), &[]),
     ("enhanced-sort", Unstable(sym::s390x_target_feature), &[]),
diff --git a/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md b/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md
index 0f85e6d00e36b..7a8a1ba7e3c76 100644
--- a/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md
+++ b/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md
@@ -170,6 +170,12 @@ values:
 The default behaviour, if frame pointers are not force-enabled, depends on the
 target.
 
+#### Implementation notes
+
+On s390x targets, frame pointers cannot be used to walk the stack. Instead of enabling frame
+pointers, this flag enables the `backchain`, which stores a pointer to the caller's frame in each
+function's frame.
+
 ## force-unwind-tables
 
 This flag forces the generation of unwind tables. It takes one of the following
diff --git a/tests/assembly-llvm/s390x-backchain-toggle.rs b/tests/assembly-llvm/s390x-backchain-toggle.rs
index baf7104727833..bc602d1baec8c 100644
--- a/tests/assembly-llvm/s390x-backchain-toggle.rs
+++ b/tests/assembly-llvm/s390x-backchain-toggle.rs
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 //@ assembly-output: emit-asm
 //@ compile-flags: -Copt-level=3 --crate-type=lib --target=s390x-unknown-linux-gnu
 //@ needs-llvm-components: systemz
-//@[enable-backchain] compile-flags: -Ctarget-feature=+backchain
-//@[disable-backchain] compile-flags: -Ctarget-feature=-backchain
+//@[enable-backchain] compile-flags: -Cforce-frame-pointers
+//@[disable-backchain] compile-flags: -Cforce-frame-pointers=no
 #![feature(no_core, lang_items)]
 #![no_std]
 #![no_core]
@@ -31,20 +31,7 @@ extern "C" fn test_backchain() -> i32 {
     unsafe {
         extern_func();
     }
-    // enable-backchain-NEXT: brasl %r{{.*}}, extern_func@PLT
-    // disable-backchain: brasl %r{{.*}}, extern_func@PLT
-
-    // Make sure that the expected return value is written into %r2 (return register):
-    // enable-backchain-NEXT: lghi %r2, 1
-    // disable-backchain: lghi %r2, 0
-    // default-backchain: lghi %r2, 0
-    #[cfg(target_feature = "backchain")]
-    {
-        1
-    }
-    #[cfg(not(target_feature = "backchain"))]
-    {
-        0
-    }
+    // NEXT: brasl %r{{.*}}, extern_func@PLT
+    1
     // CHECK: br %r{{.*}}
 }
diff --git a/tests/codegen-llvm/backchain.rs b/tests/codegen-llvm/backchain.rs
index fae494dcad1b4..1cb01f3cf0032 100644
--- a/tests/codegen-llvm/backchain.rs
+++ b/tests/codegen-llvm/backchain.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //@ add-minicore
-//@ compile-flags: -Copt-level=3 --crate-type=lib --target=s390x-unknown-linux-gnu -Ctarget-feature=+backchain
+//@ compile-flags: -Copt-level=3 --crate-type=lib --target=s390x-unknown-linux-gnu
+//@ compile-flags: -Cforce-frame-pointers=yes
 //@ needs-llvm-components: systemz
 #![crate_type = "lib"]
 #![feature(no_core, lang_items)]
@@ -12,4 +13,4 @@ use minicore::*;
 pub fn test_backchain() {
     // CHECK: @test_backchain() unnamed_addr #0
 }
-// CHECK: attributes #0 = { {{.*}}"target-features"="{{[^"]*}}+backchain{{.*}} }
+// CHECK: attributes #0 = { {{.*}}"backchain"{{.*}} }
diff --git a/tests/codegen-llvm/force-frame-pointers.rs b/tests/codegen-llvm/force-frame-pointers.rs
index 2cdc37e691115..1d7cb2bea60aa 100644
--- a/tests/codegen-llvm/force-frame-pointers.rs
+++ b/tests/codegen-llvm/force-frame-pointers.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 //@ [NonLeaf] ignore-x86_64-apple-darwin
 //@ [NonLeaf] ignore-windows-gnu
 //@ [NonLeaf] ignore-thumb
+// On s390x, -Cforce-frame-pointers emits `"backchain"` not `"frame-pointer"`.
+// Since this test passes -Zunstable-options globally, it must be skipped on s390x.
+//@ ignore-s390x
 // result is platform-dependent based on platform's frame pointer settings
 
 #![crate_type = "lib"]
diff --git a/tests/codegen-llvm/frame-pointer-cli-control.rs b/tests/codegen-llvm/frame-pointer-cli-control.rs
index 79cdfc70f1ad7..47b2464bcd07c 100644
--- a/tests/codegen-llvm/frame-pointer-cli-control.rs
+++ b/tests/codegen-llvm/frame-pointer-cli-control.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 //@ compile-flags: --crate-type=rlib -Copt-level=0
 //@ revisions: force-on aarch64-apple aarch64-apple-on aarch64-apple-off
 //@ [force-on] compile-flags: -Cforce-frame-pointers=on
+//@ [force-on] ignore-s390x
 //@ [aarch64-apple] needs-llvm-components: aarch64
 //@ [aarch64-apple] compile-flags: --target=aarch64-apple-darwin
 //@ [aarch64-apple-on] needs-llvm-components: aarch64
@@ -39,6 +40,9 @@ Specific cases where platforms or tools rely on frame pointers for sound or corr
 - openbsd: <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/43575>
 - i686-msvc <https://github.com/rust-lang/backtrace-rs/pull/584#issuecomment-1966177530>
 - i686-mingw: <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/commit/3f1d3948d6d434b34dd47f132c126a6cb6b8a4ab>
+
+S390x is a special case because on this platform framepointers cannot be use for unwinding.
+On s390x `-Cforce-frame-pointers=on' will emit a 'backchain' attribute which is tested elsewhere.
 */
 #![feature(no_core, lang_items)]
 #![no_core]
diff --git a/tests/ui/check-cfg/target_feature.stderr b/tests/ui/check-cfg/target_feature.stderr
index 13c49fe00ef1f..ca6fdd4995c2a 100644
--- a/tests/ui/check-cfg/target_feature.stderr
+++ b/tests/ui/check-cfg/target_feature.stderr
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ LL |     cfg!(target_feature = "_UNEXPECTED_VALUE");
 `avxvnniint16`
 `avxvnniint8`
 `b`
-`backchain`
 `bf16`
 `bmi1`
 `bmi2`
diff --git a/tests/ui/target-feature/forbidden-target-feature-backchain.rs b/tests/ui/target-feature/forbidden-target-feature-backchain.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b868352321e6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/target-feature/forbidden-target-feature-backchain.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+//! Ensure `backchain` cannot be enabled via `-Ctarget-feature` on s390x.
+//@ compile-flags: --crate-type=lib --target=s390x-unknown-linux-gnu
+//@ compile-flags: -Ctarget-feature=+backchain
+//@ needs-llvm-components: systemz
+//@ ignore-backends: gcc
+
+#![feature(no_core)]
+#![no_core]
+
+//~? ERROR target feature `backchain` cannot be enabled with `-Ctarget-feature`: use `-Cforce-frame-pointers` compiler flag instead
diff --git a/tests/ui/target-feature/forbidden-target-feature-backchain.stderr b/tests/ui/target-feature/forbidden-target-feature-backchain.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..38847e3d8fe4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/target-feature/forbidden-target-feature-backchain.stderr
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+error: target feature `backchain` cannot be enabled with `-Ctarget-feature`: use `-Cforce-frame-pointers` compiler flag instead
+
+error: aborting due to 1 previous error
+
diff --git a/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.backchain_attr.stderr b/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.backchain_attr.stderr
deleted file mode 100644
index 6270e43e93255..0000000000000
--- a/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.backchain_attr.stderr
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-error: `-Zpacked-stack` is incompatible with `backchain` target feature
-   |
-   = note: enabling both `-Zpacked-stack` and the `backchain` target feature is incompatible with the default s390x ABI. Switch to s390x-unknown-none-softfloat if you need both attributes
-
-error: aborting due to 1 previous error
-
diff --git a/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.need_softfloat.stderr b/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.need_softfloat.stderr
deleted file mode 100644
index 6f4531945ee07..0000000000000
--- a/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.need_softfloat.stderr
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-warning: unstable feature specified for `-Ctarget-feature`: `backchain`
-   |
-   = note: this feature is not stably supported; its behavior can change in the future
-
-error: packedstack with backchain needs softfloat
-   |
-   = note: enabling both `-Zpacked-stack` and the `backchain` target feature is incompatible with the default s390x ABI. Switch to s390x-unknown-none-softfloat if you need both attributes
-
-error: aborting due to 1 previous error; 1 warning emitted
-
diff --git a/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.rs b/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.rs
index dc45ac1ff5e83..4898cc6ba672e 100644
--- a/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/target-feature/packedstack-combinations.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+// backchain on s390x is enabled with -Cforce-frame-pointers
 //@ add-minicore
-//@ revisions: wrong_arch only_packedstack backchain_attr backchain_cli with_softfloat
+//@ revisions: wrong_arch only_packedstack backchain_cli with_softfloat
 //@ compile-flags: -Zpacked-stack --crate-type=rlib
 //@ ignore-backends: gcc
 
@@ -11,32 +12,26 @@
 //@ [only_packedstack] build-pass
 //@ [only_packedstack] needs-llvm-components: systemz
 
-//@ [backchain_attr] compile-flags: --target=s390x-unknown-linux-gnu
-//@ [backchain_attr] build-fail
-//@ [backchain_attr] needs-llvm-components: systemz
-
-//@ [backchain_cli] compile-flags: -Ctarget-feature=+backchain --target=s390x-unknown-linux-gnu
+//@ [backchain_cli] compile-flags: --target=s390x-unknown-linux-gnu
+//@ [backchain_cli] compile-flags: -Cforce-frame-pointers
 //@ [backchain_cli] should-fail
 //@ [backchain_cli] needs-llvm-components: systemz
 
-//@ [with_softfloat] compile-flags: -Ctarget-feature=+backchain
+//@ [with_softfloat] compile-flags: -Cforce-frame-pointers
 //@ [with_softfloat] compile-flags: --target=s390x-unknown-none-softfloat
 //@ [with_softfloat] build-pass
 //@ [with_softfloat] needs-llvm-components: systemz
 
 #![feature(s390x_target_feature)]
 #![crate_type = "rlib"]
-#![feature(no_core,lang_items)]
+#![feature(no_core, lang_items)]
 #![no_core]
 
 extern crate minicore;
 use minicore::*;
 
 #[no_mangle]
-#[cfg_attr(backchain_attr,target_feature(enable = "backchain"))]
-pub fn test() {
-}
+pub fn test() {}
 
 //[wrong_arch]~? ERROR `-Zpacked-stack` is only supported on s390x
-//[backchain_cli]~? ERROR `-Zpacked-stack` is incompatible with `backchain` target feature
-//[backchain_attr]~? ERROR `-Zpacked-stack` is incompatible with `backchain` target feature
+//[backchain_cli]~? ERROR `-Zpacked-stack` is incompatible with `-Cforce-frame-pointers` (backchain)