diff --git a/guide/src/config.md b/guide/src/config.md
index 89e6daa58..4b5d29384 100644
--- a/guide/src/config.md
+++ b/guide/src/config.md
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ strip = true
 # Source distribution generator,
 # supports cargo (default) and git.
 sdist-generator = "cargo"
+# Include the Windows import library (.dll.lib or .dll.a) in the wheel.
+# This is useful when distributing shared libraries that other programs
+# need to link against at compile time.
+include-import-lib = false
 # Use base Python executable instead of venv Python executable in PEP 517 build.
 #
 # This can help avoid unnecessary rebuilds, as the Python executable does not change
diff --git a/maturin.schema.json b/maturin.schema.json
index 278b5dd3c..d29123368 100644
--- a/maturin.schema.json
+++ b/maturin.schema.json
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@
         "$ref": "#/$defs/GlobPattern"
       }
     },
+    "include-import-lib": {
+      "description": "Include the import library (.dll.lib) in the wheel on Windows",
+      "type": "boolean",
+      "default": false
+    },
     "locked": {
       "description": "Require Cargo.lock is up to date",
       "type": [
diff --git a/src/binding_generator/mod.rs b/src/binding_generator/mod.rs
index b57601bfe..8f16f5fe3 100644
--- a/src/binding_generator/mod.rs
+++ b/src/binding_generator/mod.rs
@@ -193,6 +193,16 @@ where
                         }
                     }
                 }
+
+                // 4a. Install import library on Windows
+                if let Some(import_lib) = &artifact.import_lib_path
+                    && context.include_import_lib
+                {
+                    let target = base_path.join(import_lib.file_name().unwrap());
+                    fs::create_dir_all(target.parent().unwrap())?;
+                    debug!("Installing import library {}", target.display());
+                    fs::copy(import_lib, &target)?;
+                }
             }
             _ => {
                 // 2b. Install the artifact
@@ -213,6 +223,15 @@ where
                         writer.add_entry_force(target, source)?;
                     }
                 }
+
+                // 4b. Install import library on Windows
+                if let Some(import_lib) = &artifact.import_lib_path
+                    && context.include_import_lib
+                {
+                    let dest = module.join(import_lib.file_name().unwrap());
+                    debug!("Adding import library to archive {}", dest.display());
+                    writer.add_file_force(dest, import_lib, false)?;
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/build_context.rs b/src/build_context.rs
index bd9836c7b..5bc1253a6 100644
--- a/src/build_context.rs
+++ b/src/build_context.rs
@@ -147,6 +147,8 @@ pub struct BuildContext {
     pub pypi_validation: bool,
     /// SBOM configuration
     pub sbom: Option<SbomConfig>,
+    /// Include the import library (.dll.lib) in the wheel on Windows
+    pub include_import_lib: bool,
 }
 
 /// The wheel file location and its Python version tag (e.g. `py3`).
diff --git a/src/build_options.rs b/src/build_options.rs
index c5477faba..0a15ce850 100644
--- a/src/build_options.rs
+++ b/src/build_options.rs
@@ -887,6 +887,9 @@ impl BuildContextBuilder {
         }
 
         let crate_name = cargo_toml.package.name;
+        let include_import_lib = pyproject
+            .map(|p| p.include_import_lib())
+            .unwrap_or_default();
         Ok(BuildContext {
             target,
             compile_targets,
@@ -912,6 +915,7 @@ impl BuildContextBuilder {
             compression: build_options.compression,
             pypi_validation,
             sbom,
+            include_import_lib,
         })
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/compile.rs b/src/compile.rs
index 5cfac91ca..6d4424c97 100644
--- a/src/compile.rs
+++ b/src/compile.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ pub struct CompileTarget {
 pub struct BuildArtifact {
     /// Path to the build artifact
     pub path: PathBuf,
+    /// Path to the Windows import library (.dll.lib or .dll.a), if any
+    pub import_lib_path: Option<PathBuf>,
     /// Array of paths to include in the library search path, as indicated by
     /// the `cargo:rustc-link-search` instruction.
     pub linked_paths: Vec<String>,
@@ -143,6 +145,7 @@ fn compile_universal2(
         let mut result = HashMap::new();
         let universal_artifact = BuildArtifact {
             path: PathBuf::from(output_path),
+            import_lib_path: None,
             linked_paths: x86_64_artifact.linked_paths.clone(),
         };
         result.insert(build_type, universal_artifact);
@@ -564,27 +567,42 @@ fn compile_target(
 
                 // Extract the location of the .so/.dll/etc. from cargo's json output
                 if crate_name.as_ref() == context.crate_name {
-                    let tuples = artifact
-                        .target
-                        .crate_types
-                        .into_iter()
-                        .zip(artifact.filenames);
-                    for (crate_type, filename) in tuples {
-                        let path = if using_cross && filename.starts_with("/target") {
-                            // Convert cross target path in docker back to path on host
-                            context
-                                .cargo_metadata
-                                .target_directory
-                                .join(filename.strip_prefix("/target").unwrap())
-                                .into_std_path_buf()
-                        } else {
-                            filename.into()
-                        };
-                        let artifact = BuildArtifact {
-                            path,
-                            linked_paths: Vec::new(),
-                        };
-                        artifacts.insert(crate_type, artifact);
+                    let num_crate_types = artifact.target.crate_types.len();
+                    let mut filenames_iter = artifact.filenames.into_iter();
+                    for crate_type in artifact.target.crate_types {
+                        if let Some(filename) = filenames_iter.next() {
+                            let path = if using_cross && filename.starts_with("/target") {
+                                // Convert cross target path in docker back to path on host
+                                context
+                                    .cargo_metadata
+                                    .target_directory
+                                    .join(filename.strip_prefix("/target").unwrap())
+                                    .into_std_path_buf()
+                            } else {
+                                filename.into()
+                            };
+                            let artifact = BuildArtifact {
+                                path,
+                                import_lib_path: None,
+                                linked_paths: Vec::new(),
+                            };
+                            artifacts.insert(crate_type, artifact);
+                        }
+                    }
+                    // Remaining filenames may include import libraries (.dll.lib, .dll.a)
+                    if num_crate_types == 1
+                        && let Some((_, artifact)) = artifacts.iter_mut().next()
+                    {
+                        for extra in filenames_iter {
+                            let extra_path: PathBuf = extra.into();
+                            if extra_path
+                                .extension()
+                                .is_some_and(|ext| ext == "lib" || ext == "a")
+                            {
+                                artifact.import_lib_path = Some(extra_path);
+                                break;
+                            }
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/src/pyproject_toml.rs b/src/pyproject_toml.rs
index 4d3ec9ee7..9723e77bb 100644
--- a/src/pyproject_toml.rs
+++ b/src/pyproject_toml.rs
@@ -306,6 +306,9 @@ pub struct ToolMaturin {
     pub use_base_python: bool,
     /// SBOM configuration
     pub sbom: Option<SbomConfig>,
+    /// Include the import library (.dll.lib) in the wheel on Windows
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub include_import_lib: bool,
 }
 
 /// A pyproject.toml as specified in PEP 517
@@ -440,6 +443,13 @@ impl PyProjectToml {
         self.maturin()?.manifest_path.as_deref()
     }
 
+    /// Returns the value of `[tool.maturin.include-import-lib]` in pyproject.toml
+    pub fn include_import_lib(&self) -> bool {
+        self.maturin()
+            .map(|maturin| maturin.include_import_lib)
+            .unwrap_or_default()
+    }
+
     /// Warn about `build-system.requires` mismatching expectations.
     ///
     /// Having a pyproject.toml without a version constraint is a bad idea
diff --git a/test-crates/cffi-pure/pyproject.toml b/test-crates/cffi-pure/pyproject.toml
index 01123a478..12dc58570 100644
--- a/test-crates/cffi-pure/pyproject.toml
+++ b/test-crates/cffi-pure/pyproject.toml
@@ -9,3 +9,4 @@ dynamic = ["version"]
 
 [tool.maturin]
 bindings = "cffi"
+include-import-lib = true