diff --git a/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt b/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt
index be9df226d64e8..8bd9df2aeed56 100644
--- a/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt
+++ b/src/tools/tidy/src/allowed_run_make_makefiles.txt
@@ -240,7 +240,6 @@ run-make/unknown-mod-stdin/Makefile
 run-make/unstable-flag-required/Makefile
 run-make/use-suggestions-rust-2018/Makefile
 run-make/used-cdylib-macos/Makefile
-run-make/used/Makefile
 run-make/volatile-intrinsics/Makefile
 run-make/wasm-exceptions-nostd/Makefile
 run-make/wasm-override-linker/Makefile
diff --git a/tests/run-make/used/Makefile b/tests/run-make/used/Makefile
deleted file mode 100644
index e80eb9e402086..0000000000000
--- a/tests/run-make/used/Makefile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-include ../tools.mk
-
-# ignore-windows-msvc
-
-all:
-	$(RUSTC) -C opt-level=3 --emit=obj used.rs
-	nm $(TMPDIR)/used.o | $(CGREP) FOO
diff --git a/tests/run-make/used/rmake.rs b/tests/run-make/used/rmake.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..56ef5c6b9cc0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/run-make/used/rmake.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+// This test ensures that the compiler is keeping static variables, even if not referenced
+// by another part of the program, in the output object file.
+//
+// It comes from #39987 which implements this RFC for the #[used] attribute:
+// https://rust-lang.github.io/rfcs/2386-used.html
+
+//@ ignore-msvc
+
+use run_make_support::{cmd, rustc};
+
+fn main() {
+    rustc().opt_level("3").emit("obj").input("used.rs").run();
+
+    cmd("nm").arg("used.o").run().assert_stdout_contains("FOO");
+}