diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 0f8e75b4f..cf0a836f4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           python-version: "3.10.0"
       - name: Install cffi and virtualenv
-        run: pip install cffi virtualenv
+        run: pip install cffi virtualenv ziglang~=0.9.0
       - uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
         id: rustup
         with:
@@ -106,6 +106,14 @@ jobs:
           pypy3 -m pip install --force-reinstall --no-index --find-links test-crates/pyo3-pure/target/wheels pyo3-pure
           pypy3 -m pip install pytest
           pypy3 -m pytest test-crates/pyo3-pure/test_pyo3_pure.py
+      - uses: actions/setup-python@v2
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.10.0"
+      - name: test cross compiling with zig
+        if: matrix.os != 'windows-latest'
+        run: |
+          rustup target add aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu
+          cargo run -- build --no-sdist -i python -m test-crates/pyo3-pure/Cargo.toml --target aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu --zig
 
   test-auditwheel:
     name: Test Auditwheel
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 620408640..e4e4c47c0 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ classifiers = [
 ]
 dependencies = ["toml~=0.10.2"]
 
+[project.optional-dependencies]
+zig = [
+    "ziglang~=0.9.0",
+]
+
 [project.urls]
 "Source Code" = "https://github.com/PyO3/maturin"
 Issues = "https://github.com/PyO3/maturin/issues"
diff --git a/src/auditwheel/audit.rs b/src/auditwheel/audit.rs
index f29b5d7d2..cfa16ce9e 100644
--- a/src/auditwheel/audit.rs
+++ b/src/auditwheel/audit.rs
@@ -320,7 +320,8 @@ pub fn auditwheel_rs(
         policy.fixup_musl_libc_so_name(target.target_arch());
 
         if let Some(highest_policy) = highest_policy {
-            if policy.priority < highest_policy.priority {
+            // Don't recommend manylinux1 because rust doesn't support it anymore
+            if policy.priority < highest_policy.priority && highest_policy.name != "manylinux_2_5" {
                 println!(
                     "📦 Wheel is eligible for a higher priority tag. \
                     You requested {} but this wheel is eligible for {}",
diff --git a/src/auditwheel/policy.rs b/src/auditwheel/policy.rs
index aa29c56b9..6aa8f8cc6 100644
--- a/src/auditwheel/policy.rs
+++ b/src/auditwheel/policy.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ impl Display for Policy {
             f.write_str(&self.name)
         } else {
             f.write_fmt(format_args!(
-                "{}(aka {})",
+                "{} (aka {})",
                 &self.name,
                 self.aliases.join(",")
             ))
diff --git a/src/build_context.rs b/src/build_context.rs
index 74fb8c721..fe81c2304 100644
--- a/src/build_context.rs
+++ b/src/build_context.rs
@@ -158,8 +158,10 @@ pub struct BuildContext {
     pub release: bool,
     /// Strip the library for minimum file size
     pub strip: bool,
-    /// Whether to skip checking the linked libraries for manylinux/musllinux compliance
+    /// Skip checking the linked libraries for manylinux/musllinux compliance
     pub skip_auditwheel: bool,
+    /// When compiling for manylinux, use zig as linker to ensure glibc version compliance
+    pub zig: bool,
     /// Whether to use the the manylinux/musllinux or use the native linux tag (off)
     pub platform_tag: Option<PlatformTag>,
     /// Extra arguments that will be passed to cargo as `cargo rustc [...] [arg1] [arg2] --`
diff --git a/src/build_options.rs b/src/build_options.rs
index 6f0d2347c..a51f99d75 100644
--- a/src/build_options.rs
+++ b/src/build_options.rs
@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@ pub struct BuildOptions {
     /// Don't check for manylinux compliance
     #[structopt(long = "skip-auditwheel")]
     pub skip_auditwheel: bool,
+    /// For manylinux targets, use zig to ensure compliance for the chosen manylinux version
+    ///
+    /// Default to manylinux2010/manylinux_2_12 if you do not specify an `--compatibility`
+    ///
+    /// Make sure you installed zig with `pip install maturin[zig]`
+    #[structopt(long)]
+    pub zig: bool,
     /// The --target option for cargo
     #[structopt(long, name = "TRIPLE", env = "CARGO_BUILD_TARGET")]
     pub target: Option<String>,
@@ -96,6 +103,7 @@ impl Default for BuildOptions {
             manifest_path: PathBuf::from("Cargo.toml"),
             out: None,
             skip_auditwheel: false,
+            zig: false,
             target: None,
             cargo_extra_args: Vec::new(),
             rustc_extra_args: Vec::new(),
@@ -271,14 +279,25 @@ impl BuildOptions {
         let strip = pyproject.map(|x| x.strip()).unwrap_or_default() || strip;
         let skip_auditwheel =
             pyproject.map(|x| x.skip_auditwheel()).unwrap_or_default() || self.skip_auditwheel;
-        let platform_tag = self.platform_tag.or_else(|| {
-            pyproject.and_then(|x| {
-                if x.compatibility().is_some() {
-                    args_from_pyproject.push("compatibility");
-                }
-                x.compatibility()
+        let platform_tag = self
+            .platform_tag
+            .or_else(|| {
+                pyproject.and_then(|x| {
+                    if x.compatibility().is_some() {
+                        args_from_pyproject.push("compatibility");
+                    }
+                    x.compatibility()
+                })
             })
-        });
+            .or(
+                // With zig we can compile to any glibc version that we want, so we pick the lowest
+                // one supported by the rust compiler
+                if self.zig && !target.is_musl_target() {
+                    Some(target.get_minimum_manylinux_tag())
+                } else {
+                    None
+                },
+            );
         if platform_tag == Some(PlatformTag::manylinux1()) {
             eprintln!("⚠️  Warning: manylinux1 is unsupported by the Rust compiler.");
         }
@@ -302,6 +321,7 @@ impl BuildOptions {
             release,
             strip,
             skip_auditwheel,
+            zig: self.zig,
             platform_tag,
             cargo_extra_args,
             rustc_extra_args,
diff --git a/src/compile.rs b/src/compile.rs
index 1dbe5fd0b..48d509d3b 100644
--- a/src/compile.rs
+++ b/src/compile.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@
 use crate::build_context::BridgeModel;
 use crate::python_interpreter::InterpreterKind;
-use crate::BuildContext;
-use crate::PythonInterpreter;
+use crate::target::Arch;
+use crate::{BuildContext, PlatformTag, PythonInterpreter};
 use anyhow::{anyhow, bail, Context, Result};
 use fat_macho::FatWriter;
 use fs_err::{self as fs, File};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::env;
-use std::io::{BufReader, Read};
+#[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
+use std::fs::OpenOptions;
+use std::io::{BufReader, Read, Write};
+#[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
+use std::os::unix::fs::OpenOptionsExt;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
 use std::str;
@@ -101,11 +105,100 @@ fn compile_universal2(
     Ok(result)
 }
 
+/// We want to use `zig cc` as linker and c compiler. We want to call `python -m ziglang cc`, but
+/// cargo only accepts a path to an executable as linker, so we add a wrapper script. We then also
+/// use the wrapper script to pass arguments and substitute an unsupported argument.
+///
+/// We create different files for different args because otherwise cargo might skip recompiling even
+/// if the linker target changed
+fn prepare_zig_linker(context: &BuildContext) -> Result<(PathBuf, PathBuf)> {
+    let target = &context.target;
+    let arch = if target.cross_compiling() {
+        if matches!(target.target_arch(), Arch::Armv7L) {
+            "armv7".to_string()
+        } else {
+            target.target_arch().to_string()
+        }
+    } else {
+        "native".to_string()
+    };
+    let (zig_cc, zig_cxx, cc_args) = match context.platform_tag {
+        // Not sure branch even has any use case, but it doesn't hurt to support it
+        None | Some(PlatformTag::Linux) => (
+            "./zigcc-gnu.sh".to_string(),
+            "./zigcxx-gnu.sh".to_string(),
+            format!("{}-linux-gnu", arch),
+        ),
+        Some(PlatformTag::Musllinux { x, y }) => {
+            println!("⚠️  Warning: zig with musl is unstable");
+            (
+                format!("./zigcc-musl-{}-{}.sh", x, y),
+                format!("./zigcxx-musl-{}-{}.sh", x, y),
+                format!("{}-linux-musl", arch),
+            )
+        }
+        Some(PlatformTag::Manylinux { x, y }) => (
+            format!("./zigcc-gnu-{}-{}.sh", x, y),
+            format!("./zigcxx-gnu-{}-{}.sh", x, y),
+            // https://github.com/ziglang/zig/issues/10050#issuecomment-956204098
+            format!(
+                "${{@/-lgcc_s/-lunwind}} -target {}-linux-gnu.{}.{}",
+                arch, x, y
+            ),
+        ),
+    };
+
+    let zig_linker_dir = dirs::cache_dir()
+        // If the really is no cache dir, cwd will also do
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| PathBuf::from("."))
+        .join(env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME"))
+        .join(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"));
+    fs::create_dir_all(&zig_linker_dir)?;
+    let zig_cc = zig_linker_dir.join(zig_cc);
+    let zig_cxx = zig_linker_dir.join(zig_cxx);
+
+    let mut zig_cc_file = create_linker_script(&zig_cc)?;
+    writeln!(&mut zig_cc_file, "#!/bin/bash")?;
+    writeln!(&mut zig_cc_file, "python -m ziglang cc {}", cc_args)?;
+    drop(zig_cc_file);
+
+    let mut zig_cxx_file = create_linker_script(&zig_cxx)?;
+    writeln!(&mut zig_cxx_file, "#!/bin/bash")?;
+    writeln!(&mut zig_cxx_file, "python -m ziglang c++ {}", cc_args)?;
+    drop(zig_cxx_file);
+
+    Ok((zig_cc, zig_cxx))
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
+fn create_linker_script(path: &Path) -> Result<std::fs::File> {
+    let custom_linker_file = OpenOptions::new()
+        .create(true)
+        .write(true)
+        .truncate(true)
+        .mode(0o700)
+        .open(path)?;
+    Ok(custom_linker_file)
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(target_family = "unix"))]
+fn create_linker_script(path: &Path) -> Result<File> {
+    Ok(File::create(path)?)
+}
+
 fn compile_target(
     context: &BuildContext,
     python_interpreter: Option<&PythonInterpreter>,
     bindings_crate: &BridgeModel,
 ) -> Result<HashMap<String, PathBuf>> {
+    let (zig_cc, zig_cxx) = if context.zig && context.target.is_linux() {
+        let (cc, cxx) =
+            prepare_zig_linker(context).context("Failed to create zig linker wrapper")?;
+        (Some(cc), Some(cxx))
+    } else {
+        (None, None)
+    };
+
     let mut shared_args = vec!["--manifest-path", context.manifest_path.to_str().unwrap()];
 
     shared_args.extend(context.cargo_extra_args.iter().map(String::as_str));
@@ -207,6 +300,20 @@ fn compile_target(
         // but forwarding stderr is still useful in case there some non-json error
         .stderr(Stdio::inherit());
 
+    // Also set TARGET_CC and TARGET_CXX for cc-rs and cmake-rs
+    if let Some(zig_cc) = zig_cc {
+        let env_target = context
+            .target
+            .target_triple()
+            .to_uppercase()
+            .replace("-", "_");
+        build_command.env("TARGET_CC", &zig_cc);
+        build_command.env(format!("CARGO_TARGET_{}_LINKER", env_target), &zig_cc);
+    }
+    if let Some(zig_cxx) = zig_cxx {
+        build_command.env("TARGET_CXX", &zig_cxx);
+    }
+
     if let BridgeModel::BindingsAbi3(_, _) = bindings_crate {
         let is_pypy = python_interpreter
             .map(|p| p.interpreter_kind == InterpreterKind::PyPy)
diff --git a/src/develop.rs b/src/develop.rs
index 0cde44cd1..acf8c905a 100644
--- a/src/develop.rs
+++ b/src/develop.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ pub fn develop(
         manifest_path: manifest_file.to_path_buf(),
         out: Some(wheel_dir.path().to_path_buf()),
         skip_auditwheel: false,
+        zig: false,
         target: None,
         cargo_extra_args,
         rustc_extra_args,
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ pub fn develop(
 // Y U NO accept windows path prefix, pip?
 // Anyways, here's shepmasters stack overflow solution
 // https://stackoverflow.com/a/50323079/3549270
-#[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+#[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
 fn adjust_canonicalization(p: impl AsRef<Path>) -> String {
     p.as_ref().display().to_string()
 }
diff --git a/src/module_writer.rs b/src/module_writer.rs
index 652acfdd5..74393c495 100644
--- a/src/module_writer.rs
+++ b/src/module_writer.rs
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ use fs_err::File;
 use sha2::{Digest, Sha256};
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::ffi::OsStr;
-#[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+#[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
 use std::fs::OpenOptions;
 use std::io;
 use std::io::{Read, Write};
-#[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+#[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
 use std::os::unix::fs::OpenOptionsExt;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process::{Command, Output};
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ impl ModuleWriter for PathWriter {
 
         // We only need to set the executable bit on unix
         let mut file = {
-            #[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+            #[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
             {
                 OpenOptions::new()
                     .create(true)
diff --git a/tests/common/integration.rs b/tests/common/integration.rs
index 1c9934522..58ca73b51 100644
--- a/tests/common/integration.rs
+++ b/tests/common/integration.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ pub fn test_integration(
     package: impl AsRef<Path>,
     bindings: Option<String>,
     unique_name: &str,
+    zig: bool,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     maybe_mock_cargo();
 
@@ -32,8 +33,6 @@ pub fn test_integration(
         &cargo_extra_args,
         "--out",
         &shed,
-        "--compatibility",
-        "linux",
     ];
 
     if let Some(ref bindings) = bindings {
@@ -41,8 +40,14 @@ pub fn test_integration(
         cli.push(bindings);
     }
 
-    let options: BuildOptions = BuildOptions::from_iter_safe(cli)?;
+    if zig {
+        cli.push("--zig")
+    } else {
+        cli.push("--compatibility");
+        cli.push("linux");
+    }
 
+    let options: BuildOptions = BuildOptions::from_iter_safe(cli)?;
     let build_context = options.into_build_context(false, cfg!(feature = "faster-tests"), false)?;
     let wheels = build_context.build_wheels()?;
 
@@ -70,6 +75,11 @@ pub fn test_integration(
     // We can do this since we know that wheels are built and returned in the
     // order they are in the build context
     for ((filename, supported_version), python_interpreter) in wheels.iter().zip(interpreter) {
+        if zig && build_context.target.is_linux() && !build_context.target.is_musl_target() {
+            assert!(filename
+                .to_string_lossy()
+                .ends_with("manylinux_2_12_x86_64.manylinux2010_x86_64.whl"))
+        }
         let venv_name = if supported_version == "py3" {
             format!("{}-cffi", test_name)
         } else {
diff --git a/tests/common/mod.rs b/tests/common/mod.rs
index 6a7967cdf..2a8e24479 100644
--- a/tests/common/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/common/mod.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ pub mod other;
 // Y U NO accept windows path prefix, pip?
 // Anyways, here's shepmasters stack overflow solution
 // https://stackoverflow.com/a/50323079/3549270
-#[cfg(not(target_os = "windows"))]
+#[cfg(target_family = "unix")]
 pub fn adjust_canonicalization(p: impl AsRef<Path>) -> String {
     p.as_ref().display().to_string()
 }
diff --git a/tests/run.rs b/tests/run.rs
index 442eb2d86..4b8ac3c19 100644
--- a/tests/run.rs
+++ b/tests/run.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ fn integration_pyo3_pure() {
         "test-crates/pyo3-pure",
         None,
         "integration_pyo3_pure",
+        false,
     ));
 }
 
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ fn integration_pyo3_mixed() {
         "test-crates/pyo3-mixed",
         None,
         "integration_pyo3_mixed",
+        false,
     ));
 }
 
@@ -118,6 +120,7 @@ fn integration_pyo3_mixed_submodule() {
         "test-crates/pyo3-mixed-submodule",
         None,
         "integration_pyo3_mixed_submodule",
+        false,
     ));
 }
 
@@ -127,6 +130,7 @@ fn integration_pyo3_mixed_py_subdir() {
         "test-crates/pyo3-mixed-py-subdir",
         None,
         "integration_pyo3_mixed_py_subdir",
+        true,
     ));
 }
 
@@ -146,6 +150,7 @@ fn integration_cffi_pure() {
         "test-crates/cffi-pure",
         None,
         "integration_cffi_pure",
+        false,
     ));
 }
 
@@ -155,6 +160,7 @@ fn integration_cffi_mixed() {
         "test-crates/cffi-mixed",
         None,
         "integration_cffi_mixed",
+        false,
     ));
 }
 
@@ -164,6 +170,7 @@ fn integration_hello_world() {
         "test-crates/hello-world",
         None,
         "integration_hello_world",
+        false,
     ));
 }