diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
index 8c52ed6ed1234..44bfc746a741f 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/link.rs
@@ -1976,9 +1976,11 @@ fn add_linked_symbol_object(
     cmd: &mut dyn Linker,
     sess: &Session,
     tmpdir: &Path,
-    symbols: &[(String, SymbolExportKind)],
+    crate_type: CrateType,
+    linked_symbols: &[(String, SymbolExportKind)],
+    exported_symbols: &[String],
 ) {
-    if symbols.is_empty() {
+    if linked_symbols.is_empty() && exported_symbols.is_empty() {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -2015,7 +2017,7 @@ fn add_linked_symbol_object(
         None
     };
 
-    for (sym, kind) in symbols.iter() {
+    for (sym, kind) in linked_symbols.iter() {
         let symbol = file.add_symbol(object::write::Symbol {
             name: sym.clone().into(),
             value: 0,
@@ -2073,6 +2075,38 @@ fn add_linked_symbol_object(
         }
     }
 
+    if sess.target.is_like_msvc {
+        // Symbol visibility takes care of this for executables typically
+        let should_filter_symbols = if crate_type == CrateType::Executable {
+            sess.opts.unstable_opts.export_executable_symbols
+        } else {
+            true
+        };
+        if should_filter_symbols {
+            // Currently the compiler doesn't use `dllexport` (an LLVM attribute) to
+            // export symbols from a dynamic library. When building a dynamic library,
+            // however, we're going to want some symbols exported, so this adds a
+            // `.drectve` section which lists all the symbols using /EXPORT arguments.
+            //
+            // The linker will read these arguments from the `.drectve` section and
+            // export all the symbols from the dynamic library. Note that this is not
+            // as simple as just exporting all the symbols in the current crate (as
+            // specified by `codegen.reachable`) but rather we also need to possibly
+            // export the symbols of upstream crates. Upstream rlibs may be linked
+            // statically to this dynamic library, in which case they may continue to
+            // transitively be used and hence need their symbols exported.
+            let drectve = exported_symbols
+                .into_iter()
+                .map(|sym| format!(" /EXPORT:\"{sym}\""))
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                .join("");
+
+            let section =
+                file.add_section(vec![], b".drectve".to_vec(), object::SectionKind::Linker);
+            file.append_section_data(section, drectve.as_bytes(), 1);
+        }
+    }
+
     let path = tmpdir.join("symbols.o");
     let result = std::fs::write(&path, file.write().unwrap());
     if let Err(error) = result {
@@ -2247,7 +2281,9 @@ fn linker_with_args(
         cmd,
         sess,
         tmpdir,
+        crate_type,
         &codegen_results.crate_info.linked_symbols[&crate_type],
+        &codegen_results.crate_info.exported_symbols[&crate_type],
     );
 
     // Sanitizer libraries.
diff --git a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/linker.rs b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/linker.rs
index 8fc83908efbcc..f0ebc2a6cc87d 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/linker.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_codegen_ssa/src/back/linker.rs
@@ -1086,19 +1086,10 @@ impl<'a> Linker for MsvcLinker<'a> {
         }
     }
 
-    // Currently the compiler doesn't use `dllexport` (an LLVM attribute) to
-    // export symbols from a dynamic library. When building a dynamic library,
-    // however, we're going to want some symbols exported, so this function
-    // generates a DEF file which lists all the symbols.
-    //
-    // The linker will read this `*.def` file and export all the symbols from
-    // the dynamic library. Note that this is not as simple as just exporting
-    // all the symbols in the current crate (as specified by `codegen.reachable`)
-    // but rather we also need to possibly export the symbols of upstream
-    // crates. Upstream rlibs may be linked statically to this dynamic library,
-    // in which case they may continue to transitively be used and hence need
-    // their symbols exported.
-    fn export_symbols(&mut self, tmpdir: &Path, crate_type: CrateType, symbols: &[String]) {
+    fn export_symbols(&mut self, tmpdir: &Path, crate_type: CrateType, _symbols: &[String]) {
+        // We already add /EXPORT arguments to the .drectve section of symbols.o. We generate
+        // a .DEF file here anyway as it might prevent auto-export of some symbols.
+
         // Symbol visibility takes care of this typically
         if crate_type == CrateType::Executable {
             let should_export_executable_symbols =
@@ -1116,10 +1107,6 @@ impl<'a> Linker for MsvcLinker<'a> {
             // straight to exports.
             writeln!(f, "LIBRARY")?;
             writeln!(f, "EXPORTS")?;
-            for symbol in symbols {
-                debug!("  _{symbol}");
-                writeln!(f, "  {symbol}")?;
-            }
         };
         if let Err(error) = res {
             self.sess.dcx().emit_fatal(errors::LibDefWriteFailure { error });