diff --git a/bin/symbols-check.py b/bin/symbols-check.py
index 94b3d28..fca8887 100644
--- a/bin/symbols-check.py
+++ b/bin/symbols-check.py
@@ -121,6 +121,23 @@
         symbols.append(symbol_name)
     return symbols
 
+def get_symbols_gendef(gendef, lib):
+    '''
+    List all the (non platform-specific) symbols exported by the library
+    using `gendef -`
+    '''
+    symbols = []
+    output = subprocess.check_output([gendef, '-', lib],
+                                     stderr=open(os.devnull, 'w')).decode("ascii")
+    ordinal_table_found = False
+    for line in output.splitlines():
+        if not ordinal_table_found:
+            if line.strip() == 'EXPORTS':
+                ordinal_table_found = True
+            continue
+
+        symbols.append(line.strip())
+    return symbols
 
 def main():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
@@ -138,15 +155,21 @@
     parser.add_argument('--dumpbin',
                         action='store',
                         help='path to binary (or name in $PATH)')
+    parser.add_argument('--gendef',
+                        action='store',
+                        help='path to binary (or name in $PATH)')
     parser.add_argument('--ignore-symbol',
                         action='append',
                         help='do not process this symbol')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     if platform.system() == 'Windows':
-        if not args.dumpbin:
-            parser.error('--dumpbin is mandatory')
-        lib_symbols = get_symbols_dumpbin(args.dumpbin, args.lib)
+        if args.dumpbin:
+            lib_symbols = get_symbols_dumpbin(args.dumpbin, args.lib)
+        elif args.gendef:
+            lib_symbols = get_symbols_gendef(args.gendef, args.lib)
+        else:
+            parser.error('--dumpbin is mandatory for msvc, --gendef is mandatory for mingw')
     else:
         if not args.nm:
             parser.error('--nm is mandatory')
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2676251..00d3969 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -2224,12 +2224,19 @@
 
 pkg = import('pkgconfig')
 
-if host_machine.system() == 'windows'
+if host_machine.system() == 'windows' and cc.get_argument_syntax() == 'msvc'
   prog_dumpbin = find_program('dumpbin', required : false)
   with_symbols_check = prog_dumpbin.found() and with_tests
   if with_symbols_check
     symbols_check_args = ['--dumpbin', prog_dumpbin.full_path()]
   endif
+elif host_machine.system() == 'windows' and cc.get_argument_syntax() != 'msvc'
+  # mingw
+  prog_gendef = find_program('gendef', required : false)
+  with_symbols_check = prog_gendef.found() and with_tests
+  if with_symbols_check
+    symbols_check_args = ['--gendef', prog_gendef.full_path()]
+  endif
 else
   prog_nm = find_program('nm')
   with_symbols_check = prog_nm.found() and with_tests