diff --git a/go/private/BUILD.sdk.bazel b/go/private/BUILD.sdk.bazel
index d33813e098..47415dc371 100644
--- a/go/private/BUILD.sdk.bazel
+++ b/go/private/BUILD.sdk.bazel
@@ -97,6 +97,13 @@ config_setting(
     },
 )
 
+config_setting(
+    name = "match_{extra_sdk_version}_sdk",
+    flag_values = {
+        sdk_version_label: "{extra_sdk_version}",
+    },
+)
+
 selects.config_setting_group(
     name = "sdk_version_setting",
     match_any = [
@@ -105,6 +112,7 @@ selects.config_setting_group(
         ":match_major_minor_version",
         ":match_patch_version",
         ":match_prerelease_version",
+        ":match_{extra_sdk_version}_sdk",
     ],
 )
 
diff --git a/go/private/sdk.bzl b/go/private/sdk.bzl
index 3bc23d9fa8..34065f23f6 100644
--- a/go/private/sdk.bzl
+++ b/go/private/sdk.bzl
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ def _sdk_build_file(ctx, platform, version):
             "{minor_version}": str(minor),
             "{patch_version}": str(patch),
             "{prerelease_suffix}": prerelease,
+            "{extra_sdk_version}": ctx.attr.name,
         },
     )
 
diff --git a/go/toolchains.rst b/go/toolchains.rst
index 25b7ee84c5..1f1efe1e77 100644
--- a/go/toolchains.rst
+++ b/go/toolchains.rst
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ the flag ``--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version="version"`` where
 ``"version"`` is the SDK version you would like to build with, eg. ``"1.18.3"``.
 The SDK version can omit the patch, or include a prerelease part, eg. ``"1"``,
 ``"1.18"``, ``"1.18.0"``, and ``"1.19.0beta1"`` are all valid values for ``sdk_version``.
+You can also refer to a Go SDK by name of the target used to declare it.
 
 The toolchain
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
diff --git a/tests/core/go_download_sdk/go_download_sdk_test.go b/tests/core/go_download_sdk/go_download_sdk_test.go
index 51dd5c0ae4..2c89b7c3a3 100644
--- a/tests/core/go_download_sdk/go_download_sdk_test.go
+++ b/tests/core/go_download_sdk/go_download_sdk_test.go
@@ -107,10 +107,13 @@ go_download_sdk(
 `,
 			optToWantVersion: map[string]string{
 				"": "go1.16",
-				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1":   "go1.16",
-				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1.17":   "go1.17",
-				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1.17.0": "go1.17",
-				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1.17.1": "go1.17.1",
+				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1":             "go1.16",
+				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1.17":          "go1.17",
+				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1.17.0":        "go1.17",
+				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=1.17.1":        "go1.17.1",
+				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=go_sdk":        "go1.16",
+				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=go_sdk_1_17":   "go1.17",
+				"--@io_bazel_rules_go//go/toolchain:sdk_version=go_sdk_1_17_1": "go1.17.1",
 			},
 		},
 	} {
@@ -122,7 +125,7 @@ go_download_sdk(
 
 			i := bytes.Index(origWorkspaceData, []byte("go_rules_dependencies()"))
 			if i < 0 {
-				t.Fatalf("%s: could not find call to go_rules_dependencies()")
+				t.Fatal("could not find call to go_rules_dependencies()")
 			}
 
 			buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
@@ -143,17 +146,19 @@ go_register_toolchains()
 			}()
 
 			for opt, wantVersion := range test.optToWantVersion {
-				args := []string{
-					"test",
-					"//:version_test",
-					"--test_arg=-version=" + wantVersion,
-				}
-				if opt != "" {
-					args = append(args, opt)
-				}
-				if err := bazel_testing.RunBazel(args...); err != nil {
-					t.Fatal(err)
-				}
+				t.Run(wantVersion, func(t *testing.T) {
+					args := []string{
+						"test",
+						"//:version_test",
+						"--test_arg=-version=" + wantVersion,
+					}
+					if opt != "" {
+						args = append(args, opt)
+					}
+					if err := bazel_testing.RunBazel(args...); err != nil {
+						t.Fatal(err)
+					}
+				})
 			}
 		})
 	}