diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 0227e9524e..cfa9e368bd 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -661,8 +661,14 @@ MIMEtypes += [ 'image/png', 'image/x-icon']
 libmng = dependency('libmng', required: get_option('mng'))
 
 if not libmng.found()
-  libmng = cc.find_library('mng', required: get_option('mng'))
-  if libmng.found() and not cc.has_function('mng_create', dependencies: libmng)
+  libmng = cc.find_library('mng', required: get_option('mng'),)
+
+  mng_test_prefix = ''
+  if platform_windows
+    mng_test_prefix = '#define MNG_USE_DLL\n#include <libmng.h>'
+  endif
+  if libmng.found() and not cc.has_function('mng_create', dependencies: libmng,
+                                            prefix: mng_test_prefix)
     libmng = no_dep
   endif
 endif
diff --git a/plug-ins/common/meson.build b/plug-ins/common/meson.build
index 98153b260b..8a8f17bc5c 100644
--- a/plug-ins/common/meson.build
+++ b/plug-ins/common/meson.build
@@ -111,8 +111,13 @@ if libjxl.found() and libjxl_threads.found()
 endif
 
 if libmng.found()
+  mng_cflags = []
+  if platform_windows
+    mng_cflags = [ '-DMNG_USE_DLL' ]
+  endif
   common_plugins_list += { 'name': 'file-mng',
-    'deps': [ gtk3, gegl, libmng, libpng, ],
+                           'deps': [ gtk3, gegl, libmng, libpng, ],
+                           'cflags': mng_cflags,
   }
 endif