diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
index ba5bd90ac886..57a0263e171a 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/backends.py
@@ -1219,3 +1219,22 @@ def get_introspection_data(self, target_id, target):
             }]
 
         return []
+
+    def get_export_symbol_file_args(self, linker, target, *, absolute_paths=False):
+        args = []
+        dep_files = []
+        for f in target.symbol_export_files:
+            if isinstance(f, File):
+                relpath = f.rel_to_builddir(self.build_to_src)
+            elif isinstance(f, build.CustomTarget):
+                relpath = self.get_target_filename(f)
+            else:
+                raise RuntimeError('Broken, please file a bug.')
+            if absolute_paths:
+                final_path = os.path.join(self.build_dir, relpath)
+            else:
+                final_path = relpath
+            args += linker.get_symbol_export_file_args(final_path)
+            dep_files.append(relpath)
+        return (args, dep_files)
+
diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
index f3343e8b72de..64c0176985b2 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
@@ -2464,20 +2464,6 @@ def guess_external_link_dependencies(self, linker, target, commands, internal):
 
         return guessed_dependencies + absolute_libs
 
-    def get_export_symbol_file_args(self, linker, target):
-        args = []
-        dep_files = []
-        for f in target.symbol_export_files:
-            if isinstance(f, File):
-                relpath = f.rel_to_builddir(self.build_to_src)
-            elif isinstance(f, build.CustomTarget):
-                relpath = self.get_target_filename(f)
-            else:
-                raise RuntimeError('Broken, please file a bug.')
-            args += linker.get_symbol_export_file_args(relpath)
-            dep_files.append(relpath)
-        return (args, dep_files)
-
     def generate_link(self, target, outfile, outname, obj_list, linker, extra_args=[], stdlib_args=[]):
         if isinstance(target, build.StaticLibrary):
             linker_base = 'STATIC'
diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/vs2010backend.py b/mesonbuild/backend/vs2010backend.py
index 8029d58c2838..ad497e834388 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/vs2010backend.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/vs2010backend.py
@@ -1090,6 +1090,9 @@ def gen_vcxproj(self, target, ofname, guid):
         extra_link_args += compiler.get_option_link_args(self.environment.coredata.compiler_options[for_machine])
         (additional_libpaths, additional_links, extra_link_args) = self.split_link_args(extra_link_args.to_native())
 
+        unquoted_args, _ =  self.get_export_symbol_file_args(compiler, target, absolute_paths=True)
+        extra_link_args += ['"{}"'.format(x) for x in unquoted_args]
+
         # Add more libraries to be linked if needed
         for t in target.get_dependencies():
             lobj = self.build.targets[t.get_id()]