diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
index 16962a4b1163..a548bc3f1546 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
@@ -2448,6 +2448,20 @@ 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'
@@ -2481,6 +2495,8 @@ def generate_link(self, target, outfile, outname, obj_list, linker, extra_args=[
         commands += linker.get_linker_always_args()
         # Add buildtype linker args: optimization level, etc.
         commands += linker.get_buildtype_linker_args(self.get_option_for_target('buildtype', target))
+        export_file_commands, export_file_deps = self.get_export_symbol_file_args(linker, target)
+        commands += export_file_commands
         # Add /DEBUG and the pdb filename when using MSVC
         if self.get_option_for_target('debug', target):
             commands += self.get_link_debugfile_args(linker, target, outname)
@@ -2586,6 +2602,7 @@ def generate_link(self, target, outfile, outname, obj_list, linker, extra_args=[
         dep_targets.extend([self.get_dependency_filename(t) for t in dependencies])
         dep_targets.extend([self.get_dependency_filename(t)
                             for t in target.link_depends])
+        dep_targets += export_file_deps
         elem = NinjaBuildElement(self.all_outputs, outname, linker_rule, obj_list)
         elem.add_dep(dep_targets + custom_target_libraries)
         elem.add_item('LINK_ARGS', commands)
diff --git a/mesonbuild/build.py b/mesonbuild/build.py
index 702b338daffe..cdeab253a548 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/build.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/build.py
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
     'objects',
     'override_options',
     'sources',
+    'symbol_export_file',
     'gnu_symbol_visibility',
 ])
 
@@ -448,6 +449,7 @@ def __init__(self, name, subdir, subproject, is_cross, sources, objects, environ
         self.link_targets = []
         self.link_whole_targets = []
         self.link_depends = []
+        self.symbol_export_files = []
         self.name_prefix_set = False
         self.name_suffix_set = False
         self.filename = 'no_name'
@@ -936,6 +938,16 @@ def process_kwargs(self, kwargs, environment):
             if self.gnu_symbol_visibility not in permitted:
                 raise InvalidArguments('GNU symbol visibility arg %s not one of: %s',
                                        self.symbol_visibility, ', '.join(permitted))
+        for i in listify(kwargs.get('symbol_export_file', []), unholder=True):
+            if isinstance(i, str):
+                f = File(False, self.subdir, i)
+                if not os.path.exists(f.absolute_path(self.environment.source_dir,
+                                                      self.environment.build_dir)):
+                    raise InvalidArguments('Nonexisting file {}.'.format(i))
+                i = f
+            if not isinstance(i, (File, CustomTarget)):
+                raise InvalidArguments('Symbol_export_file must be a string, file or a custom target.')
+            self.symbol_export_files.append(i)
 
     def _extract_pic_pie(self, kwargs, arg):
         # Check if we have -fPIC, -fpic, -fPIE, or -fpie in cflags
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
index a1a8fb95004c..3f70d4a3b92e 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/c.py
@@ -1497,6 +1497,9 @@ def gen_vs_module_defs_args(self, defsfile):
         # so if a module defs file is specified, we use that to export symbols
         return ['/DEF:' + defsfile]
 
+    def get_symbol_export_file_args(self, path):
+        return ['/DEF:' + path]
+
     def gen_pch_args(self, header, source, pchname):
         objname = os.path.splitext(pchname)[0] + '.obj'
         return objname, ['/Yc' + header, '/Fp' + pchname, '/Fo' + objname]
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
index 3d4cce810cb0..db8ba7beea7a 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/compilers.py
@@ -1271,6 +1271,9 @@ def language_stdlib_only_link_flags(self):
     def gnu_symbol_visibility_args(self, vistype):
         return []
 
+    def get_symbol_export_file_args(self, path):
+        raise EnvironmentException('Compiler {} does not support symbol exports.'.format(self.get_id()))
+
     def get_gui_app_args(self, value):
         return []
 
@@ -1547,6 +1550,9 @@ def openmp_flags(self):
     def gnu_symbol_visibility_args(self, vistype):
         return gnu_symbol_visibility_args[vistype]
 
+    def get_symbol_export_file_args(self, path):
+        return ['-Wl,--version-script=' + path]
+
     def gen_vs_module_defs_args(self, defsfile):
         if not isinstance(defsfile, str):
             raise RuntimeError('Module definitions file should be str')
diff --git a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
index e33cb7fe1f93..212d07e07be7 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/interpreter.py
@@ -3950,6 +3950,7 @@ def build_target(self, node, args, kwargs, targetholder):
         @FeatureNewKwargs('build target', '0.41.0', ['rust_args'])
         @FeatureNewKwargs('build target', '0.40.0', ['build_by_default'])
         @FeatureNewKwargs('build target', '0.48.0', ['gnu_symbol_visibility'])
+        @FeatureNewKwargs('build target', '0.50.0', ['symbol_export_file'])
         def build_target_decorator_caller(self, node, args, kwargs):
             return True
 
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.c b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.c
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.c
rename to test cases/common/213 version file/bob.c
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.h b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.h
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.h
rename to test cases/common/213 version file/bob.h
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.map b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.map
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.map
rename to test cases/common/213 version file/bob.map
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.map.in b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.map.in
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/bob.map.in
rename to test cases/common/213 version file/bob.map.in
diff --git a/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.sym b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.sym
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5a3f0299b6b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.sym	
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+EXPORTS
+  bobMcBob
diff --git a/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.sym.in b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.sym.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6aeb511bb31c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/213 version file/bob.sym.in	
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+EXPORTS
+  @in@
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/copy.py b/test cases/common/213 version file/copy.py
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/copy.py
rename to test cases/common/213 version file/copy.py
diff --git a/test cases/common/213 version file/meson.build b/test cases/common/213 version file/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..49bd7ded37a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/213 version file/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+project('linker script', 'c')
+
+cc = meson.get_compiler('c')
+
+if build_machine.system() == 'cygwin'
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST does not work on cygwin for some reason.')
+endif
+
+if cc.get_id() == 'clang-cl'
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST uses lld which is not supported yet. Patches welcome.')
+endif
+
+
+# Static map file
+if cc.get_id() == 'msvc'
+  suffix = '.sym'
+else
+  suffix = '.map'
+endif
+
+mapfile = 'bob' + suffix
+
+l = shared_library('bob', 'bob.c', symbol_export_file: mapfile)
+e = executable('prog', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
+test('core', e)
+
+# configure_file
+conf = configuration_data()
+conf.set('in', 'bobMcBob')
+m = configure_file(
+  input : 'bob' + suffix + '.in',
+  output : 'bob-conf' + suffix,
+  configuration : conf,
+)
+
+l = shared_library('bob-conf', 'bob.c', symbol_export_file: m)
+e = executable('prog-conf', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
+test('core', e)
+
+## custom_target
+python = find_program('python3', required : false)
+if not python.found()
+  python = find_program('python')
+endif
+m = custom_target(
+  'bob-ct' + suffix,
+  command : [python, '@INPUT0@', '@INPUT1@', '@OUTPUT@'],
+  input : ['copy.py', 'bob' + suffix],
+  output : 'bob-ct' + suffix,
+)
+
+l = shared_library('bob-ct', ['bob.c', m], symbol_export_file: m)
+e = executable('prog-ct', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
+test('core', e)
+
+# File
+mapfile = files('bob' + suffix)
+
+l = shared_library('bob-files', 'bob.c', symbol_export_file: mapfile)
+e = executable('prog-files', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
+test('core', e)
+
+subdir('sub')
+
+# With map file in subdir
+mapfile = files('sub/foo' + suffix)
+
+l = shared_library('bar', 'bob.c', symbol_export_file: mapfile)
+e = executable('prog-bar', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
+test('core', e)
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/prog.c b/test cases/common/213 version file/prog.c
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/prog.c
rename to test cases/common/213 version file/prog.c
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/sub/foo.map b/test cases/common/213 version file/sub/foo.map
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/sub/foo.map
rename to test cases/common/213 version file/sub/foo.map
diff --git a/test cases/common/213 version file/sub/foo.sym b/test cases/common/213 version file/sub/foo.sym
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5a3f0299b6b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/213 version file/sub/foo.sym	
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+EXPORTS
+  bobMcBob
diff --git a/test cases/common/213 version file/sub/meson.build b/test cases/common/213 version file/sub/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7ec590a18274
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/common/213 version file/sub/meson.build	
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+mapfile = 'foo' + suffix
+
+l = shared_library('foo', '../bob.c', symbol_export_file: mapfile)
+e = executable('prog-foo', '../prog.c', link_with : l)
+test('core', e)
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/incdir/myinc.h b/test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/incdir/myinc.h
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/incdir/myinc.h
rename to test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/incdir/myinc.h
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/meson.build b/test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/meson.build
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/meson.build
rename to test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/meson.build
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/prog-checkver.c b/test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/prog-checkver.c
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/prog-checkver.c
rename to test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/prog-checkver.c
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/prog.c b/test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/prog.c
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/linuxlike/13 cmake dependency/prog.c
rename to test cases/linuxlike/3 cmake dependency/prog.c
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/meson.build b/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/meson.build
deleted file mode 100644
index 63765e7ca602..000000000000
--- a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/meson.build	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-project('linker script', 'c')
-
-# Static map file
-mapfile = 'bob.map'
-vflag = '-Wl,--version-script,@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), mapfile)
-
-l = shared_library('bob', 'bob.c', link_args : vflag, link_depends : mapfile)
-e = executable('prog', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
-test('core', e)
-
-# configure_file
-conf = configuration_data()
-conf.set('in', 'bobMcBob')
-m = configure_file(
-  input : 'bob.map.in',
-  output : 'bob-conf.map',
-  configuration : conf,
-)
-vflag = '-Wl,--version-script,@0@'.format(m)
-
-l = shared_library('bob-conf', 'bob.c', link_args : vflag, link_depends : m)
-e = executable('prog-conf', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
-test('core', e)
-
-# custom_target
-python = find_program('python3')
-m = custom_target(
-  'bob-ct.map',
-  command : [python, '@INPUT0@', '@INPUT1@', 'bob-ct.map'],
-  input : ['copy.py', 'bob.map'],
-  output : 'bob-ct.map',
-  depend_files : 'bob.map',
-)
-vflag = '-Wl,--version-script,@0@'.format(m.full_path())
-
-l = shared_library('bob-ct', ['bob.c', m], link_args : vflag, link_depends : m)
-e = executable('prog-ct', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
-test('core', e)
-
-# File
-mapfile = files('bob.map')
-vflag = '-Wl,--version-script,@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), mapfile[0])
-
-l = shared_library('bob-files', 'bob.c', link_args : vflag, link_depends : mapfile)
-e = executable('prog-files', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
-test('core', e)
-
-subdir('sub')
-
-# With map file in subdir
-mapfile = 'sub/foo.map'
-vflag = '-Wl,--version-script,@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), mapfile)
-
-l = shared_library('bar', 'bob.c', link_args : vflag, link_depends : mapfile)
-e = executable('prog-bar', 'prog.c', link_with : l)
-test('core', e)
diff --git a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/sub/meson.build b/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/sub/meson.build
deleted file mode 100644
index 93199f3927a0..000000000000
--- a/test cases/linuxlike/3 linker script/sub/meson.build	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-mapfile = 'foo.map'
-vflag = '-Wl,--version-script,@0@/@1@'.format(meson.current_source_dir(), mapfile)
-
-l = shared_library('foo', '../bob.c', link_args : vflag, link_depends : mapfile)
-e = executable('prog-foo', '../prog.c', link_with : l)
-test('core', e)