diff --git a/src/rustup-cli/rustup_mode.rs b/src/rustup-cli/rustup_mode.rs
index 3fc21120b9..1719de84bf 100644
--- a/src/rustup-cli/rustup_mode.rs
+++ b/src/rustup-cli/rustup_mode.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use rustup::{Cfg, Toolchain, command};
 use rustup::settings::TelemetryMode;
 use errors::*;
 use rustup_dist::manifest::Component;
-use rustup_dist::dist::TargetTriple;
+use rustup_dist::dist::{TargetTriple, PartialToolchainDesc, PartialTargetTriple};
 use rustup_utils::utils;
 use self_update;
 use std::path::Path;
@@ -296,8 +296,72 @@ fn maybe_upgrade_data(cfg: &Cfg, m: &ArgMatches) -> Result<bool> {
     }
 }
 
+fn update_bare_triple_check(cfg: &Cfg, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    if let Some(triple) = PartialTargetTriple::from_str(name) {
+	warn!("(partial) target triple specified instead of toolchain name");
+        let installed_toolchains = try!(cfg.list_toolchains());
+        let default = try!(cfg.find_default());
+        let default_name = default.map(|t| t.name().to_string())
+                           .unwrap_or("".into());
+        let mut candidates = vec![];
+        for t in installed_toolchains {
+            if t == default_name {
+		continue;
+	    }
+            if let Ok(desc) = PartialToolchainDesc::from_str(&t) {
+                fn triple_comp_eq(given: &String, from_desc: Option<&String>) -> bool {
+                    from_desc.map_or(false, |s| *s == *given)
+                }
+
+                let triple_matches =
+                    triple.arch.as_ref().map_or(true, |s| triple_comp_eq(s, desc.target.arch.as_ref()))
+                    && triple.os.as_ref().map_or(true, |s| triple_comp_eq(s, desc.target.os.as_ref()))
+                    && triple.env.as_ref().map_or(true, |s| triple_comp_eq(s, desc.target.env.as_ref()));
+                if triple_matches {
+                    candidates.push(t);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+	match candidates.len() {
+	    0 => err!("no candidate toolchains found"),
+	    1 => println!("\nyou may use the following toolchain: {}\n", candidates[0]),
+	    _ => {
+		println!("\nyou may use one of the following toolchains:");
+		for n in candidates.iter() {
+		    println!("{}", n);
+		}
+		println!("");
+	    }
+	}
+        return Err(ErrorKind::ToolchainNotInstalled(name.to_string()).into());
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn default_bare_triple_check(cfg: &Cfg, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    if let Some(triple) = PartialTargetTriple::from_str(name) {
+        warn!("(partial) target triple specified instead of toolchain name");
+        let default = try!(cfg.find_default());
+        let default_name = default.map(|t| t.name().to_string())
+                           .unwrap_or("".into());
+	if let Ok(mut desc) = PartialToolchainDesc::from_str(&default_name) {
+	    desc.target = triple;
+	    let maybe_toolchain = format!("{}", desc);
+	    let ref toolchain = try!(cfg.get_toolchain(maybe_toolchain.as_ref(), false));
+	    if toolchain.name() == default_name {
+		warn!("(partial) triple '{}' resolves to a toolchain that is already default", name);
+	    } else {
+		println!("\nyou may use the following toolchain: {}\n", toolchain.name());
+	    }
+	    return Err(ErrorKind::ToolchainNotInstalled(name.to_string()).into());
+	}
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 fn default_(cfg: &Cfg, m: &ArgMatches) -> Result<()> {
     let ref toolchain = m.value_of("toolchain").expect("");
+    try!(default_bare_triple_check(cfg, toolchain));
     let ref toolchain = try!(cfg.get_toolchain(toolchain, false));
 
     let status = if !toolchain.is_custom() {
@@ -320,6 +384,7 @@ fn default_(cfg: &Cfg, m: &ArgMatches) -> Result<()> {
 
 fn update(cfg: &Cfg, m: &ArgMatches) -> Result<()> {
     if let Some(name) = m.value_of("toolchain") {
+        try!(update_bare_triple_check(cfg, name));
         let toolchain = try!(cfg.get_toolchain(name, false));
 
         let status = if !toolchain.is_custom() {