diff --git a/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.driver.pas b/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.driver.pas
index 09418a8..87c8bf7 100644
--- a/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.driver.pas
+++ b/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.driver.pas
@@ -81,10 +81,12 @@ type
     OPDFEnabled: Boolean;     { OPDF code shaping }
     OPDFAsmFile: string;      { OPDF sidecar path, if any }
     UseInternalAsm: Boolean;  { --assembler internal (native backend) }
+    AssemblerExplicit: Boolean;  { True when user passed --assembler }
     AssemblerChoiceBad: Boolean;  { a --assembler value was given that is
                                 neither 'internal' nor 'external'; the
                                 native driver's ValidateOptions rejects it }
     UseInternalLinker: Boolean;  { --linker internal (native backend) }
+    LinkerExplicit: Boolean;     { True when user passed --linker }
     LinkerChoiceBad: Boolean;    { --linker value not 'internal' or 'external' }
   end;
 
diff --git a/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.native.driver.pas b/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.native.driver.pas
index 326f805..1c59ca2 100644
--- a/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.native.driver.pas
+++ b/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.codegen.native.driver.pas
@@ -291,6 +291,7 @@ begin
   if AFlag = '--assembler' then
   begin
     AOpts.UseInternalAsm := (ANextArg = 'internal');
+    AOpts.AssemblerExplicit := True;
     AOpts.AssemblerChoiceBad :=
       (ANextArg <> 'internal') and (ANextArg <> 'external');
     Result := oaConsumedValue;
@@ -298,6 +299,7 @@ begin
   else if AFlag = '--linker' then
   begin
     AOpts.UseInternalLinker := (ANextArg = 'internal');
+    AOpts.LinkerExplicit := True;
     AOpts.LinkerChoiceBad :=
       (ANextArg <> 'internal') and (ANextArg <> 'external');
     Result := oaConsumedValue;
@@ -309,9 +311,9 @@ end;
 procedure TNativeBackendDriver.DescribeOptions(ALines: TStringList);
 begin
   ALines.Add(FormatFlagLine('--assembler <id>',
-    'internal | external (default: external)'));
+    'internal | external (default: internal)'));
   ALines.Add(FormatFlagLine('--linker <id>',
-    'internal | external (default: external)'));
+    'internal | external (default: internal)'));
 end;
 
 function TNativeBackendDriver.ValidateOptions(AOpts: TBackendOpts): string;
@@ -321,6 +323,11 @@ begin
     Result := '--assembler must be ''internal'' or ''external'''
   else if AOpts.LinkerChoiceBad then
     Result := '--linker must be ''internal'' or ''external''';
+
+  if not AOpts.AssemblerExplicit then
+    AOpts.UseInternalAsm := True;
+  if not AOpts.LinkerExplicit then
+    AOpts.UseInternalLinker := True;
 end;
 
 initialization
diff --git a/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.linker.elf.pas b/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.linker.elf.pas
index d1b2040..cfbca0d 100644
--- a/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.linker.elf.pas
+++ b/compiler/src/main/pascal/blaise.linker.elf.pas
@@ -2369,6 +2369,8 @@ var
   FOut: TFileOutputStream;
 begin
   Bytes := Self.LinkToBytes(AEntryName);
+  if FileExists(AOutputPath) then
+    DeleteFile(AOutputPath);
   FOut := TFileOutputStream.Create(AOutputPath);
   try
     FOut.Write(PChar(Bytes), Length(Bytes));