diff --git a/app-tools/meson.build b/app-tools/meson.build
index bab227ad27..ba41375e9c 100644
--- a/app-tools/meson.build
+++ b/app-tools/meson.build
@@ -26,11 +26,17 @@ gimp_debug_tool = executable('gimp-debug-tool' + exec_ver,
 if enable_default_bin
   if not platform_windows
     install_symlink(fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-      pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.full_path()),
-      install_dir: gimp_debug_tool_dir
-    )
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: gimp_debug_tool_dir)
+    install_symlink(fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@'.format(api_version_major)),
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: gimp_debug_tool_dir)
   else
     meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
-                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimp_debug_tool.full_path()), fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimp_debug_tool.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimp_debug_tool.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.name()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@.exe'.format(api_version_major))))
   endif
 endif
diff --git a/app/meson.build b/app/meson.build
index 0785b79443..24496a14e6 100644
--- a/app/meson.build
+++ b/app/meson.build
@@ -232,22 +232,34 @@ gimpmain_exe = executable(gimpmain_exe_name,
 if enable_default_bin
   if not platform_windows
     install_symlink(fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-      pointing_to: fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()),
-      install_dir: get_option('bindir')
-    )
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
+    install_symlink(fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@'.format(api_version_major)),
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
   else
     meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
-                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimpmain_exe.full_path()), fs.name(gimpmain_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimpmain_exe.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimpmain_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimpmain_exe.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimpmain_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@.exe'.format(api_version_major))))
   endif
   if enable_console_bin
     if not platform_windows
       install_symlink(fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-        pointing_to: fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()),
-        install_dir: get_option('bindir')
-      )
+                      pointing_to: fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()),
+                      install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
+      install_symlink(fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@'.format(api_version_major)),
+                      pointing_to: fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()),
+                      install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
     else
       meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
-                               'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimpconsole_exe.full_path()), fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+                               'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimpconsole_exe.full_path(),
+                                                                                            fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+      meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                               'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimpconsole_exe.full_path(),
+                                                                                            fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@.exe'.format(api_version_major))))
     endif
   endif
 endif
diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index 2388be2238..1f8a37f706 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -42,21 +42,32 @@ install_man(man_files)
 
 if enable_default_bin and not platform_windows
   install_symlink('gimptool.1',
-    pointing_to: 'gimptool-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
-    install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1'
-  )
+                  pointing_to: 'gimptool-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
+                  install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1')
+  install_symlink('gimptool-@0@.1'.format(api_version_major),
+                  pointing_to: 'gimptool-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
+                  install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1')
+
   install_symlink('gimprc.5',
-    pointing_to: 'gimprc-' + gimp_app_version + '.5',
-    install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man5'
-  )
+                  pointing_to: 'gimprc-' + gimp_app_version + '.5',
+                  install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man5')
+  install_symlink('gimprc-@0@.5'.format(api_version_major),
+                  pointing_to: 'gimprc-' + gimp_app_version + '.5',
+                  install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man5')
+
   if enable_console_bin
     install_symlink('gimp-console.1',
-      pointing_to: 'gimp-console-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
-      install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1'
-    )
+                    pointing_to: 'gimp-console-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
+                    install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1')
+    install_symlink('gimp-console-@0@.1'.format(api_version_major),
+                    pointing_to: 'gimp-console-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
+                    install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1')
   endif
+
   install_symlink('gimp.1',
-    pointing_to: 'gimp-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
-    install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1'
-  )
+                  pointing_to: 'gimp-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
+                  install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1')
+  install_symlink('gimp-@0@.1'.format(api_version_major),
+                  pointing_to: 'gimp-' + gimp_app_version + '.1',
+                  install_dir: get_option('mandir') + '/man1')
 endif
diff --git a/tools/meson.build b/tools/meson.build
index 799e6f785a..feb7fc7f49 100644
--- a/tools/meson.build
+++ b/tools/meson.build
@@ -48,18 +48,31 @@ endif
 if enable_default_bin
   if not platform_windows
     install_symlink(fs.name(gimptool.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-      pointing_to: fs.name(gimptool.full_path()),
-      install_dir: get_option('bindir')
-    )
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimptool.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
+    install_symlink(fs.name(gimptool.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@'.format(api_version_major)),
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimptool.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
+
     install_symlink(fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-      pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()),
-      install_dir: get_option('bindir')
-    )
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
+    install_symlink(fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@'.format(api_version_major)),
+                    pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()),
+                    install_dir: get_option('bindir'))
   else
     meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
-                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimptool.full_path()), fs.name(gimptool.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimptool.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimptool.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
     meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
-                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()), fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimptool.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimptool.name()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@.exe'.format(api_version_major))))
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path(),
+                                                                                          fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.name()).replace(exec_ver, '-@0@.exe'.format(api_version_major))))
   endif
 endif