diff --git a/src/main/native/windows/file.cc b/src/main/native/windows/file.cc
index eb23f43f689624..76c7a5e948ccca 100644
--- a/src/main/native/windows/file.cc
+++ b/src/main/native/windows/file.cc
@@ -43,16 +43,12 @@ using std::wstring;
 DWORD DetermineSymlinkPrivilegeFlag() {
   DWORD val = 0;
   DWORD valSize = sizeof(val);
-  if (  // The unprivileged create flag was introduced in Windows 10 build
-        // 14972:
-        // https://blogs.windows.com/windowsdeveloper/2016/12/02/symlinks-windows-10/
-      !IsWindowsVersionOrGreater(10, 0, 14972)
-      // Check if developer mode is disabled:
-      || RegGetValueW(
-             HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
-             L"SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\AppModelUnlock",
-             L"AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense", RRF_RT_DWORD, nullptr, &val,
-             &valSize) != ERROR_SUCCESS ||
+  // Check if developer mode is disabled
+  if (RegGetValueW(
+          HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
+          L"SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\AppModelUnlock",
+          L"AllowDevelopmentWithoutDevLicense", RRF_RT_DWORD, nullptr, &val,
+          &valSize) != ERROR_SUCCESS ||
       val == 0) {
     return 0;
   }
@@ -467,6 +463,13 @@ int CreateSymlink(const wstring& symlink_name, const wstring& symlink_target,
 
   if (!CreateSymbolicLinkW(name.c_str(), target.c_str(),
                            symlinkPrivilegeFlag)) {
+    if (GetLastError() == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER) {
+      // We are on a version of Windows that does not support this flag.
+      // Retry without the flag and return to error handling if necessary.
+      if (CreateSymbolicLinkW(name.c_str(), target.c_str(), 0)) {
+        return CreateSymlinkResult::kSuccess;
+      }
+    }
     *error = MakeErrorMessage(
         WSTR(__FILE__), __LINE__, L"CreateSymlink", symlink_target,
         GetLastError() == ERROR_PRIVILEGE_NOT_HELD
diff --git a/src/main/native/windows/file.h b/src/main/native/windows/file.h
index 421d97112e586f..590137fc842107 100644
--- a/src/main/native/windows/file.h
+++ b/src/main/native/windows/file.h
@@ -38,9 +38,8 @@ bool IsDeveloperModeEnabled();
 DWORD DetermineSymlinkPrivilegeFlag();
 
 // The flag SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE requires
-// developer mode to be enabled. If it is not enabled, or the current
-// version of Windows does not support it, do not use the flag.
-// The process will need to be run with elevated privileges.
+// developer mode to be enabled. If it is not enabled, do not use the
+// flag. The process will need to be run with elevated privileges.
 const DWORD symlinkPrivilegeFlag = DetermineSymlinkPrivilegeFlag();
 
 template <typename char_type>
diff --git a/src/main/tools/build-runfiles-windows.cc b/src/main/tools/build-runfiles-windows.cc
index f9498b374261ae..a773e841e0ef38 100644
--- a/src/main/tools/build-runfiles-windows.cc
+++ b/src/main/tools/build-runfiles-windows.cc
@@ -336,6 +336,14 @@ class RunfilesCreator {
         if (!CreateSymbolicLinkW(
                 it.first.c_str(), it.second.c_str(),
                 bazel::windows::symlinkPrivilegeFlag | create_dir)) {
+          if (GetLastError() == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER) {
+            // We are on a version of Windows that does not support this flag.
+            // Retry without the flag and return to error handling if necessary.
+            if (CreateSymbolicLinkW(it.first.c_str(), it.second.c_str(),
+                                    create_dir)) {
+              return;
+            }
+          }
           if (GetLastError() == ERROR_PRIVILEGE_NOT_HELD) {
             die(L"CreateSymbolicLinkW failed:\n%hs\n",
                 "Bazel needs to create symlinks to build the runfiles tree.\n"