diff --git a/clang/include/clang/Driver/ToolChain.h b/clang/include/clang/Driver/ToolChain.h
--- a/clang/include/clang/Driver/ToolChain.h
+++ b/clang/include/clang/Driver/ToolChain.h
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@
 
   // Return the DWARF version to emit, in the absence of arguments
   // to the contrary.
-  virtual unsigned GetDefaultDwarfVersion() const { return 5; }
+  virtual unsigned GetDefaultDwarfVersion() const;
 
   // Some toolchains may have different restrictions on the DWARF version and
   // may need to adjust it. E.g. NVPTX may need to enforce DWARF2 even when host
diff --git a/clang/lib/Driver/ToolChain.cpp b/clang/lib/Driver/ToolChain.cpp
--- a/clang/lib/Driver/ToolChain.cpp
+++ b/clang/lib/Driver/ToolChain.cpp
@@ -427,6 +427,12 @@
   return UnwindTableLevel::None;
 }
 
+unsigned ToolChain::GetDefaultDwarfVersion() const {
+  // TODO: Remove the RISC-V special case when R_RISCV_SET_ULEB128 linker
+  // support becomes more widely available.
+  return getTriple().isRISCV() ? 4 : 5;
+}
+
 Tool *ToolChain::getClang() const {
   if (!Clang)
     Clang.reset(new tools::Clang(*this, useIntegratedBackend()));
diff --git a/clang/test/Driver/clang-g-opts.c b/clang/test/Driver/clang-g-opts.c
--- a/clang/test/Driver/clang-g-opts.c
+++ b/clang/test/Driver/clang-g-opts.c
@@ -37,3 +37,8 @@
 
 // CHECK-WITH-G-STANDALONE: "-debug-info-kind=standalone"
 // CHECK-WITH-G-STANDALONE: "-dwarf-version=2"
+
+/// TODO: Special case before R_RISCV_SET_ULEB128 linker support becomes more widely available.
+// RUN: %clang -### -S %s -g --target=riscv64-linux-gnu 2>&1 | FileCheck --check-prefix=VERSION4 %s
+// RUN: %clang -### -S %s -g --target=riscv64-unknown-elf 2>&1 | FileCheck --check-prefix=VERSION4 %s
+// VERSION4: "-dwarf-version=4"