diff --git a/cranelift/jit/src/backend.rs b/cranelift/jit/src/backend.rs
index 5c2aeab817..e3d00a1872 100644
--- a/cranelift/jit/src/backend.rs
+++ b/cranelift/jit/src/backend.rs
@@ -42,8 +42,25 @@ impl JITBuilder {
     /// argument, use `cranelift_module::default_libcall_names()`.
     pub fn new(
         libcall_names: Box<dyn Fn(ir::LibCall) -> String + Send + Sync>,
+    ) -> ModuleResult<Self> {
+        Self::with_flags(&[], libcall_names)
+    }
+
+    /// Create a new `JITBuilder` with the given flags.
+    ///
+    /// The `libcall_names` function provides a way to translate `cranelift_codegen`'s `ir::LibCall`
+    /// enum to symbols. LibCalls are inserted in the IR as part of the legalization for certain
+    /// floating point instructions, and for stack probes. If you don't know what to use for this
+    /// argument, use `cranelift_module::default_libcall_names()`.
+    pub fn with_flags(
+        flags: &[(&str, &str)],
+        libcall_names: Box<dyn Fn(ir::LibCall) -> String + Send + Sync>,
     ) -> ModuleResult<Self> {
         let mut flag_builder = settings::builder();
+        for (name, value) in flags {
+            flag_builder.set(name, value)?;
+        }
+
         // On at least AArch64, "colocated" calls use shorter-range relocations,
         // which might not reach all definitions; we can't handle that here, so
         // we require long-range relocation types.
@@ -59,8 +76,8 @@ impl JITBuilder {
     /// Create a new `JITBuilder` with an arbitrary target. This is mainly
     /// useful for testing.
     ///
-    /// To create a `JITBuilder` for native use, use the `new` constructor
-    /// instead.
+    /// To create a `JITBuilder` for native use, use the `new` or `with_flags`
+    /// constructors instead.
     ///
     /// The `libcall_names` function provides a way to translate `cranelift_codegen`'s `ir::LibCall`
     /// enum to symbols. LibCalls are inserted in the IR as part of the legalization for certain
diff --git a/cranelift/module/src/module.rs b/cranelift/module/src/module.rs
index 2df3b4f5fe..d6fa93b834 100644
--- a/cranelift/module/src/module.rs
+++ b/cranelift/module/src/module.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use core::fmt::Display;
 use cranelift_codegen::binemit::{CodeOffset, Reloc};
 use cranelift_codegen::entity::{entity_impl, PrimaryMap};
 use cranelift_codegen::ir::Function;
+use cranelift_codegen::settings::SetError;
 use cranelift_codegen::{binemit, MachReloc};
 use cranelift_codegen::{ir, isa, CodegenError, CompileError, Context};
 use std::borrow::ToOwned;
@@ -239,6 +240,9 @@ pub enum ModuleError {
 
     /// Wraps a generic error from a backend
     Backend(anyhow::Error),
+
+    /// Wraps an error from a flag definition.
+    Flag(SetError),
 }
 
 impl<'a> From<CompileError<'a>> for ModuleError {
@@ -260,6 +264,7 @@ impl std::error::Error for ModuleError {
             Self::Compilation(source) => Some(source),
             Self::Allocation { err: source, .. } => Some(source),
             Self::Backend(source) => Some(&**source),
+            Self::Flag(source) => Some(source),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -297,6 +302,7 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for ModuleError {
                 write!(f, "Allocation error: {}: {}", message, err)
             }
             Self::Backend(err) => write!(f, "Backend error: {}", err),
+            Self::Flag(err) => write!(f, "Flag error: {}", err),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -307,6 +313,12 @@ impl std::convert::From<CodegenError> for ModuleError {
     }
 }
 
+impl std::convert::From<SetError> for ModuleError {
+    fn from(source: SetError) -> Self {
+        Self::Flag { 0: source }
+    }
+}
+
 /// A convenient alias for a `Result` that uses `ModuleError` as the error type.
 pub type ModuleResult<T> = Result<T, ModuleError>;