diff --git a/app-tools/meson.build b/app-tools/meson.build
index bd6fb7aadd..bab227ad27 100644
--- a/app-tools/meson.build
+++ b/app-tools/meson.build
@@ -23,9 +23,14 @@ gimp_debug_tool = executable('gimp-debug-tool' + exec_ver,
   install_dir: gimp_debug_tool_dir
 )
 
-if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
-  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
-  )
+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
+    )
+  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')))
+  endif
 endif
diff --git a/app/meson.build b/app/meson.build
index 045ab4e775..0785b79443 100644
--- a/app/meson.build
+++ b/app/meson.build
@@ -229,15 +229,25 @@ gimpmain_exe = executable(gimpmain_exe_name,
   install: true,
 )
 
-if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
-  install_symlink(fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-    pointing_to: fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()),
-    install_dir: get_option('bindir')
-  )
-  if enable_console_bin
-    install_symlink(fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-      pointing_to: fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()),
+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')
     )
+  else
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimpmain_exe.full_path()), fs.name(gimpmain_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+  endif
+  if enable_console_bin
+    if not platform_windows
+      install_symlink(fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
+        pointing_to: fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()),
+        install_dir: get_option('bindir')
+      )
+    else
+      meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                               'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimpconsole_exe.full_path()), fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+    endif
   endif
 endif
diff --git a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh
index 1138a5e75d..9159fbdf81 100644
--- a/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh
+++ b/build/windows/gitlab-ci/2_build-gimp-msys2.sh
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ if [ ! -f "_build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}/build.ninja" ]; then
                  -Ddirectx-sdk-dir="${MSYSTEM_PREFIX}" \
                  -Dwindows-installer=true              \
                  -Dms-store=true                       \
+                 -Denable-default-bin=enabled          \
                  -Dbuild-id=org.gimp.GIMP_official $MESON_OPTIONS
 else
   cd "_build${ARTIFACTS_SUFFIX}"
diff --git a/docs/meson.build b/docs/meson.build
index d9d3fabfdc..2388be2238 100644
--- a/docs/meson.build
+++ b/docs/meson.build
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ man_files +=  configure_file(
 
 install_man(man_files)
 
-if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
+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'
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index f9bc58f5fe..a6214f9f61 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1306,10 +1306,6 @@ endif
 
 enable_console_bin = get_option('enable-console-bin')
 
-if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('<0.61.0')
-  error('"enable-default-bin" build option requires meson 0.61 or later. Please disable the option or update meson.')
-endif
-
 # Possibly change default gimpdir from $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP/gimp_user_version
 gimpdir = get_option('gimpdir')
 if gimpdir == ''
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 93ca46534d..eb6b6c9abd 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ option('libbacktrace',      type: 'boolean', value: true, description: 'Build wi
 
 # Features
 
-option('enable-default-bin',type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Install unversioned symlinks pointing to versioned executables')
+option('enable-default-bin',type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Install unversioned symlinks pointing to versioned executables (on UNIX) or unversioned duplicates (on Windows)')
 option('aa',                type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'AA plugin')
 option('alsa',              type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Alsa support in midi input controller')
 option('appdata-test',      type: 'feature', value: 'auto', description: 'Validate the appdata file')
diff --git a/tools/meson.build b/tools/meson.build
index 5755cc9ca9..9551177a10 100644
--- a/tools/meson.build
+++ b/tools/meson.build
@@ -30,15 +30,22 @@ gimp_test_clipboard = executable('gimp-test-clipboard' + exec_ver,
   install: true,
 )
 
-if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
-  install_symlink(fs.name(gimptool.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
-    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')
-  )
+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')
+    )
+    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')
+    )
+  else
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimptool.full_path()), fs.name(gimptool.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+    meson.add_install_script('sh', '-c',
+                             'cp -f "@0@" "$MESON_INSTALL_DESTDIR_PREFIX/bin/@1@"'.format((gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()), fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.name()).replace(exec_ver, '.exe')))
+  endif
 endif
 
 executable('kernelgen',