diff --git a/compiler/rustc_interface/src/tests.rs b/compiler/rustc_interface/src/tests.rs
index ce90ceeda5618..a27821371d5c3 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_interface/src/tests.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_interface/src/tests.rs
@@ -636,6 +636,7 @@ fn test_codegen_options_tracking_hash() {
     tracked!(relro_level, Some(RelroLevel::Full));
     tracked!(soft_float, true);
     tracked!(split_debuginfo, Some(SplitDebuginfo::Packed));
+    tracked!(stack_protector, StackProtector::All);
     tracked!(symbol_mangling_version, Some(SymbolManglingVersion::V0));
     tracked!(target_cpu, Some(String::from("abc")));
     tracked!(target_feature, String::from("all the features, all of them"));
@@ -851,7 +852,6 @@ fn test_unstable_options_tracking_hash() {
     tracked!(small_data_threshold, Some(16));
     tracked!(split_lto_unit, Some(true));
     tracked!(src_hash_algorithm, Some(SourceFileHashAlgorithm::Sha1));
-    tracked!(stack_protector, StackProtector::All);
     tracked!(teach, true);
     tracked!(thinlto, Some(true));
     tracked!(tiny_const_eval_limit, true);
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_session/messages.ftl b/compiler/rustc_session/messages.ftl
index 893c532f1fbb1..cb23f730eaec2 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_session/messages.ftl
+++ b/compiler/rustc_session/messages.ftl
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ session_target_requires_unwind_tables = target requires unwind tables, they cann
 
 session_target_small_data_threshold_not_supported = `-Z small-data-threshold` is not supported for target {$target_triple} and will be ignored
 
-session_target_stack_protector_not_supported = `-Z stack-protector={$stack_protector}` is not supported for target {$target_triple} and will be ignored
+session_target_stack_protector_not_supported = `-C stack-protector={$stack_protector}` is not supported for target {$target_triple} and will be ignored
 
 session_unleashed_feature_help_named = skipping check for `{$gate}` feature
 session_unleashed_feature_help_unnamed = skipping check that does not even have a feature gate
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs b/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs
index fe05605c1b9a1..ae7c5a345f7bf 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_session/src/config.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ use rustc_span::{
     FileName, FileNameDisplayPreference, RealFileName, SourceFileHashAlgorithm, Symbol, sym,
 };
 use rustc_target::spec::{
-    FramePointer, LinkSelfContainedComponents, LinkerFeatures, SplitDebuginfo, Target, TargetTuple,
+    FramePointer, LinkSelfContainedComponents, LinkerFeatures, SplitDebuginfo, StackProtector,
+    Target, TargetTuple,
 };
 use tracing::debug;
 
@@ -2505,6 +2506,22 @@ pub fn build_session_options(early_dcx: &mut EarlyDiagCtxt, matches: &getopts::M
         }
     }
 
+    // Check for unstable values of `-C stack-protector`.
+    // This is what prevents them from being used on stable compilers.
+    match cg.stack_protector {
+        // Stable values:
+        StackProtector::All | StackProtector::None => {}
+        // Unstable values:
+        StackProtector::Basic | StackProtector::Strong => {
+            if !unstable_opts.unstable_options {
+                early_dcx.early_fatal(
+                    "`-C stack-protector=basic` and `-C stack-protector=strong` \
+                    require `-Z unstable-options`",
+                );
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     if cg.instrument_coverage != InstrumentCoverage::No {
         if cg.profile_generate.enabled() || cg.profile_use.is_some() {
             early_dcx.early_fatal(
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs b/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
index 087ba0522ebe2..c21b170f60aa9 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_session/src/options.rs
@@ -1654,6 +1654,9 @@ options! {
     #[rustc_lint_opt_deny_field_access("use `Session::split_debuginfo` instead of this field")]
     split_debuginfo: Option<SplitDebuginfo> = (None, parse_split_debuginfo, [TRACKED],
         "how to handle split-debuginfo, a platform-specific option"),
+    #[rustc_lint_opt_deny_field_access("use `Session::stack_protector` instead of this field")]
+    stack_protector: StackProtector = (StackProtector::None, parse_stack_protector, [TRACKED],
+        "control stack smash protection strategy (`rustc --print stack-protector-strategies` for details)"),
     strip: Strip = (Strip::None, parse_strip, [UNTRACKED],
         "tell the linker which information to strip (`none` (default), `debuginfo` or `symbols`)"),
     symbol_mangling_version: Option<SymbolManglingVersion> = (None,
@@ -2080,9 +2083,6 @@ written to standard error output)"),
         "enable LTO unit splitting (default: no)"),
     src_hash_algorithm: Option<SourceFileHashAlgorithm> = (None, parse_src_file_hash, [TRACKED],
         "hash algorithm of source files in debug info (`md5`, `sha1`, or `sha256`)"),
-    #[rustc_lint_opt_deny_field_access("use `Session::stack_protector` instead of this field")]
-    stack_protector: StackProtector = (StackProtector::None, parse_stack_protector, [TRACKED],
-        "control stack smash protection strategy (`rustc --print stack-protector-strategies` for details)"),
     staticlib_allow_rdylib_deps: bool = (false, parse_bool, [TRACKED],
         "allow staticlibs to have rust dylib dependencies"),
     staticlib_prefer_dynamic: bool = (false, parse_bool, [TRACKED],
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_session/src/session.rs b/compiler/rustc_session/src/session.rs
index 470e372ee48e1..14f9deb0e926e 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_session/src/session.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_session/src/session.rs
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ impl Session {
 
     pub fn stack_protector(&self) -> StackProtector {
         if self.target.options.supports_stack_protector {
-            self.opts.unstable_opts.stack_protector
+            self.opts.cg.stack_protector
         } else {
             StackProtector::None
         }
@@ -1274,10 +1274,10 @@ fn validate_commandline_args_with_session_available(sess: &Session) {
         }
     }
 
-    if sess.opts.unstable_opts.stack_protector != StackProtector::None {
+    if sess.opts.cg.stack_protector != StackProtector::None {
         if !sess.target.options.supports_stack_protector {
             sess.dcx().emit_warn(errors::StackProtectorNotSupportedForTarget {
-                stack_protector: sess.opts.unstable_opts.stack_protector,
+                stack_protector: sess.opts.cg.stack_protector,
                 target_triple: &sess.opts.target_triple,
             });
         }
diff --git a/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md b/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md
index cb43feca758df..c75bebfb0a13c 100644
--- a/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md
+++ b/src/doc/rustc/src/codegen-options/index.md
@@ -565,6 +565,26 @@ Note that all three options are supported on Linux and Apple platforms,
 Attempting to use an unsupported option requires using the nightly channel
 with the `-Z unstable-options` flag.
 
+## stack-protector
+
+The option `-C stack-protector=val` controls stack smashing protection. See [Stack smashing
+protection][stack-smashing] for more details.
+
+Supported values for this option are:
+
+- `none` - no stack protectors
+- `all` - force use of stack protectors for all functions
+
+Unstable options for this value are:
+
+- `basic` - enable stack protectors for functions potentially vulnerable to stack smashing (basic
+  heuristic)
+- `strong` - enable stack protectors for functions potentially vulnerable to stack smashing (strong
+  heuristic)
+
+`basic` and `strong` values for `-C stack-protector` require using the nightly channel with the
+`-Z unstable-options` flag.
+
 ## strip
 
 The option `-C strip=val` controls stripping of debuginfo and similar auxiliary
@@ -667,3 +687,4 @@ effective only for x86 targets.
 [instrumentation-based code coverage]: ../instrument-coverage.md
 [profile-guided optimization]: ../profile-guided-optimization.md
 [option-g-debug]: ../command-line-arguments.md#option-g-debug
+[stack-smashing]: ../exploit-mitigations.md#stack-smashing-protection
diff --git a/src/doc/rustc/src/exploit-mitigations.md b/src/doc/rustc/src/exploit-mitigations.md
index d4e2fc52e973f..4407680cc5f8f 100644
--- a/src/doc/rustc/src/exploit-mitigations.md
+++ b/src/doc/rustc/src/exploit-mitigations.md
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ equivalent.
 | Stack clashing protection | Yes | 1.20.0 (2017-08-31) |
 | Read-only relocations and immediate binding | Yes | 1.21.0 (2017-10-12) |
 | Heap corruption protection | Yes | 1.32.0 (2019-01-17) (via operating system default or specified allocator) |
-| Stack smashing protection | Yes | Nightly |
+| Stack smashing protection | Yes | 1.78.0 (2024-05-02) |
 | Forward-edge control flow protection | Yes | Nightly |
 | Backward-edge control flow protection (e.g., shadow and safe stack) | Yes | Nightly |
 
@@ -357,7 +357,8 @@ instruction pointer, and checking if this value has changed when returning from
 a function. This is also known as “Stack Protector” or “Stack Smashing
 Protector (SSP)”.
 
-The Rust compiler supports stack smashing protection on nightly builds[40].
+The Rust compiler supports stack smashing protection with the `-C stack-protector=all`
+flag since version 1.78.0 (2024-05-02)[40], [47].
 
 ![Screenshot of IDA Pro listing cross references to __stack_chk_fail in hello-rust.](images/image3.png "Cross references to __stack_chk_fail in hello-rust.")
 Fig. 14. IDA Pro listing cross references to `__stack_chk_fail` in hello-rust.
@@ -627,3 +628,6 @@ to `READ_IMPLIES_EXEC`).
 
 46. “SafeStack.” The Rust Unstable Book.
     [https://doc.rust-lang/org/unstable-book/compiler-flags/sanitizer.html#safestack](../unstable-book/compiler-flags/sanitizer.html#safestack).
+
+47. D. Wood. “sess: stabilize stack-protector=all #121742” GitHub.
+    <https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/121742>
diff --git a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-32bit.rs b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-32bit.rs
index 2a8251785e77d..0a3aeae29f5ec 100644
--- a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-32bit.rs
+++ b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-32bit.rs
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 //@ only-windows
 //@ only-msvc
 //@ ignore-64bit 64-bit table based SEH has slightly different behaviors than classic SEH
-//@ [all] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=all
-//@ [strong] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=strong
-//@ [basic] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=basic
-//@ [none] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=none
+//@ [all] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
+//@ [strong] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=strong -Z unstable-options
+//@ [basic] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=basic -Z unstable-options
+//@ [none] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=none
 //@ compile-flags: -C opt-level=2 -Z merge-functions=disabled
 
 #![crate_type = "lib"]
diff --git a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-64bit.rs b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-64bit.rs
index 9729da4e5d25a..0630708de81b7 100644
--- a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-64bit.rs
+++ b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect-windows-64bit.rs
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 //@ only-windows
 //@ only-msvc
 //@ ignore-32bit 64-bit table based SEH has slightly different behaviors than classic SEH
-//@ [all] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=all
-//@ [strong] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=strong
-//@ [basic] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=basic
-//@ [none] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=none
+//@ [all] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
+//@ [strong] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=strong -Z unstable-options
+//@ [basic] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=basic -Z unstable-options
+//@ [none] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=none
 //@ compile-flags: -C opt-level=2 -Z merge-functions=disabled
 
 #![crate_type = "lib"]
diff --git a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect.rs b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect.rs
index 57fc601a2e0c0..9d9c77a40c16d 100644
--- a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect.rs
+++ b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-heuristics-effect.rs
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 //@ ignore-msvc stack check code uses different function names
 //@ ignore-nvptx64 stack protector is not supported
 //@ ignore-wasm32-bare
-//@ [all] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=all
-//@ [strong] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=strong
-//@ [basic] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=basic
-//@ [none] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=none
+//@ [all] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
+//@ [strong] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=strong -Z unstable-options
+//@ [basic] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=basic -Z unstable-options
+//@ [none] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=none
 //@ compile-flags: -C opt-level=2 -Z merge-functions=disabled
 
 // NOTE: the heuristics for stack smash protection inappropriately rely on types in LLVM IR,
diff --git a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-target-support.rs b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-target-support.rs
index 74a609dcdcc1c..6f935325028dd 100644
--- a/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-target-support.rs
+++ b/tests/assembly/stack-protector/stack-protector-target-support.rs
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@
 //@ [r84] needs-llvm-components: x86
 //@ [r85] compile-flags: --target x86_64-unknown-redox
 //@ [r85] needs-llvm-components: x86
-//@ compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=all
+//@ compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
 //@ compile-flags: -C opt-level=2
 
 #![crate_type = "lib"]
diff --git a/tests/codegen/stack-protector.rs b/tests/codegen/stack-protector.rs
index 8ab25b470cda1..7c7561911a480 100644
--- a/tests/codegen/stack-protector.rs
+++ b/tests/codegen/stack-protector.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 //@ revisions: all strong basic none
 //@ ignore-nvptx64 stack protector not supported
-//@ [all] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=all
-//@ [strong] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=strong
-//@ [basic] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=basic
+//@ [all] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
+//@ [strong] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=strong -Z unstable-options
+//@ [basic] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=basic -Z unstable-options
 
 #![crate_type = "lib"]
 
diff --git a/tests/ui/abi/stack-protector.rs b/tests/ui/abi/stack-protector.rs
index 29332861977b7..a0a0fc5d8017a 100644
--- a/tests/ui/abi/stack-protector.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/abi/stack-protector.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //@ run-pass
 //@ only-x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
 //@ revisions: ssp no-ssp
-//@ [ssp] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=all
+//@ [ssp] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
 //@ compile-flags: -C opt-level=2
 //@ compile-flags: -g
 
diff --git a/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.basic.stderr b/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.basic.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..dd8fcdb21e109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.basic.stderr
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+error: `-C stack-protector=basic` and `-C stack-protector=strong` require `-Z unstable-options`
+
diff --git a/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.rs b/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..be1c31ea50e38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+//@ revisions: all strong strong-ok basic basic-ok
+//@ compile-flags: --target x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
+//@ needs-llvm-components: x86
+//@ [all] check-pass
+//@ [all] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
+//@ [strong] check-fail
+//@ [strong] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=strong
+//@ [strong-ok] check-pass
+//@ [strong-ok] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=strong -Z unstable-options
+//@ [basic] check-fail
+//@ [basic] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=basic
+//@ [basic-ok] check-pass
+//@ [basic-ok] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=basic -Z unstable-options
+
+#![crate_type = "lib"]
+#![feature(no_core, lang_items)]
+#![no_std]
+#![no_core]
+
+#[lang = "sized"]
+trait Sized {}
+#[lang = "copy"]
+trait Copy {}
+
+pub fn main(){}
diff --git a/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.strong.stderr b/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.strong.stderr
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..dd8fcdb21e109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/ui/stack-protector/stack-protector-unstable.strong.stderr
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+error: `-C stack-protector=basic` and `-C stack-protector=strong` require `-Z unstable-options`
+
diff --git a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.all.stderr b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.all.stderr
index 54887715523c1..c196c344ecb5b 100644
--- a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.all.stderr
+++ b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.all.stderr
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-warning: `-Z stack-protector=all` is not supported for target nvptx64-nvidia-cuda and will be ignored
+warning: `-C stack-protector=all` is not supported for target nvptx64-nvidia-cuda and will be ignored
 
 warning: 1 warning emitted
 
diff --git a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.basic.stderr b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.basic.stderr
index f7a1ee39fb9af..04b9ca06b5eea 100644
--- a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.basic.stderr
+++ b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.basic.stderr
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-warning: `-Z stack-protector=basic` is not supported for target nvptx64-nvidia-cuda and will be ignored
+warning: `-C stack-protector=basic` is not supported for target nvptx64-nvidia-cuda and will be ignored
 
 warning: 1 warning emitted
 
diff --git a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.rs b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.rs
index 9205d4052ad48..b39671dc5b6d7 100644
--- a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.rs
+++ b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.rs
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 //@ revisions: all strong basic
 //@ compile-flags: --target nvptx64-nvidia-cuda
 //@ needs-llvm-components: nvptx
-//@ [all] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=all
-//@ [strong] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=strong
-//@ [basic] compile-flags: -Z stack-protector=basic
+//@ [all] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=all
+//@ [strong] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=strong -Z unstable-options
+//@ [basic] compile-flags: -C stack-protector=basic -Z unstable-options
 
 #![crate_type = "lib"]
 #![feature(no_core, lang_items)]
diff --git a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.strong.stderr b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.strong.stderr
index ccc2f9f2cc5b8..741eb40910e0a 100644
--- a/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.strong.stderr
+++ b/tests/ui/stack-protector/warn-stack-protector-unsupported.strong.stderr
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-warning: `-Z stack-protector=strong` is not supported for target nvptx64-nvidia-cuda and will be ignored
+warning: `-C stack-protector=strong` is not supported for target nvptx64-nvidia-cuda and will be ignored
 
 warning: 1 warning emitted