diff --git a/app-tools/meson.build b/app-tools/meson.build
index d6ae993176..bd6fb7aadd 100644
--- a/app-tools/meson.build
+++ b/app-tools/meson.build
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 
-gimp_debug_tool = executable('gimp-debug-tool-' + gimp_app_version,
+gimp_debug_tool = executable('gimp-debug-tool' + exec_ver,
   'gimp-debug-tool.c',
   include_directories: rootInclude,
   dependencies: [
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ gimp_debug_tool = executable('gimp-debug-tool-' + gimp_app_version,
 )
 
 if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
-  install_symlink('gimp-debug-tool' + exec_ext,
-    pointing_to: 'gimp-debug-tool-' + gimp_app_version + exec_ext,
+  install_symlink(fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
+    pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_debug_tool.full_path()),
     install_dir: gimp_debug_tool_dir
   )
 endif
diff --git a/app/meson.build b/app/meson.build
index 399bf7e1d8..cf2b1184d7 100644
--- a/app/meson.build
+++ b/app/meson.build
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ else
 endif
 
 if enable_console_bin
-  gimpconsole_exe = executable('gimp-console-'+gimp_app_version,
+  gimpconsole_exe = executable('gimp-console' + exec_ver,
     'main.c',
     libapp_sources,
     console_rc_file,
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ if enable_console_bin
   )
 endif
 
-gimpmain_exe = executable('gimp-'+gimp_app_version,
+gimpmain_exe = executable('gimp' + exec_ver,
   'main.c',
   libapp_sources,
   gui_rc_file,
@@ -219,13 +219,13 @@ gimpmain_exe = executable('gimp-'+gimp_app_version,
 )
 
 if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
-  install_symlink('gimp' + exec_ext,
-    pointing_to: 'gimp-' + gimp_app_version + exec_ext,
+  install_symlink(fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
+    pointing_to: fs.name(gimpmain_exe.full_path()),
     install_dir: get_option('bindir')
   )
   if enable_console_bin
-    install_symlink('gimp-console' + exec_ext,
-      pointing_to: 'gimp-console-' + gimp_app_version + exec_ext,
+    install_symlink(fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
+      pointing_to: fs.name(gimpconsole_exe.full_path()),
       install_dir: get_option('bindir')
     )
   endif
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index c8ffe04c3b..f57dfb5a29 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -87,12 +87,13 @@ i18n      = import('i18n')
 gnome     = import('gnome')
 pythonmod = import('python')
 simd      = import('unstable-simd')
+fs        = import('fs')
 
 cc        = meson.get_compiler('c')
 cxx       = meson.get_compiler('cpp')
 prefix    = get_option('prefix')
 buildtype = get_option('buildtype')
-exec_ext  = ''
+exec_ver  = '-' + gimp_app_version
 
 compiler_args = []
 linker_args = []
@@ -146,7 +147,6 @@ endif
 
 if platform_windows
   windows = import('windows')
-  exec_ext = '.exe'
   # AC_CHECK_PROG(ms_librarian, lib.exe, yes, no)
   # AM_CONDITIONAL(MS_LIB_AVAILABLE, test "x$ms_librarian" = xyes)
   # compiler_args += '-Wl,--large-address-aware'
diff --git a/plug-ins/script-fu/interpreter/meson.build b/plug-ins/script-fu/interpreter/meson.build
index 9d602c3cc1..dd2f85ff15 100644
--- a/plug-ins/script-fu/interpreter/meson.build
+++ b/plug-ins/script-fu/interpreter/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 
 scriptfuInclude = include_directories('..')
 
-executable_name = 'gimp-script-fu-interpreter-' + gimp_api_version
+executable_name = 'gimp-script-fu-interpreter' + exec_ver
 
 plugin_sources = [
   'script-fu-interpreter.c',
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ endif
 # !!! Installs as a usual binary say to /usr/bin, unlike extension-script-fu
 # GIMP queries scripts with shebangs, which invokes gimp-script-fu-interpreter-3.0.
 
-executable(executable_name,
+script_fu_interpreter = executable(executable_name,
   plugin_sources,
   dependencies: [
     libgimpui_dep,
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ executable(executable_name,
 )
 
 if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
-  install_symlink('gimp-script-fu-interpreter' + exec_ext,
-    pointing_to: executable_name + exec_ext,
+  install_symlink(fs.name(script_fu_interpreter.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
+    pointing_to: fs.name(script_fu_interpreter.full_path()),
     install_dir: get_option('bindir')
   )
 endif
diff --git a/tools/meson.build b/tools/meson.build
index 2ae0fc9bc2..e758e921e9 100644
--- a/tools/meson.build
+++ b/tools/meson.build
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ if platform_windows
 endif
 
 
-gimptool = executable('gimptool-' + gimp_app_version,
+gimptool = executable('gimptool' + exec_ver,
   'gimptool.c',
   include_directories: rootInclude,
   dependencies: [
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ gimptool = executable('gimptool-' + gimp_app_version,
   install: true,
 )
 
-executable('gimp-test-clipboard-' + gimp_app_version,
+gimp_test_clipboard = executable('gimp-test-clipboard' + exec_ver,
   'gimp-test-clipboard.c',
   include_directories: rootInclude,
   dependencies: [
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ executable('gimp-test-clipboard-' + gimp_app_version,
 )
 
 if enable_default_bin and meson.version().version_compare('>=0.61.0')
-  install_symlink('gimptool' + exec_ext,
-    pointing_to: 'gimptool-' + gimp_app_version + exec_ext,
+  install_symlink(fs.name(gimptool.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
+    pointing_to: fs.name(gimptool.full_path()),
     install_dir: get_option('bindir')
   )
-  install_symlink('gimp-test-clipboard' + exec_ext,
-    pointing_to: 'gimp-test-clipboard-' + gimp_app_version + exec_ext,
+  install_symlink(fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()).replace(exec_ver, ''),
+    pointing_to: fs.name(gimp_test_clipboard.full_path()),
     install_dir: get_option('bindir')
   )
 endif