diff --git a/lib/std/Build.zig b/lib/std/Build.zig
index 4517ce75b0..257b7abef3 100644
--- a/lib/std/Build.zig
+++ b/lib/std/Build.zig
@@ -832,6 +832,8 @@ pub const LibraryOptions = struct {
     /// Can be set regardless of target. The `.manifest` file will be ignored
     /// if the target object format does not support embedded manifests.
     win32_manifest: ?LazyPath = null,
+    /// Win32 module definition file (.def).
+    win32_module_definition: ?LazyPath = null,
 };
 
 pub fn addLibrary(b: *Build, options: LibraryOptions) *Step.Compile {
@@ -846,6 +848,7 @@ pub fn addLibrary(b: *Build, options: LibraryOptions) *Step.Compile {
         .use_lld = options.use_lld,
         .zig_lib_dir = options.zig_lib_dir,
         .win32_manifest = options.win32_manifest,
+        .win32_module_definition = options.win32_module_definition,
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig b/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig
index 8c3bb5c568..d9bbe844f6 100644
--- a/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig
+++ b/lib/std/Build/Step/Compile.zig
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ rc_includes: std.zig.RcIncludes = .any,
 /// Set via options; intended to be read-only after that.
 win32_manifest: ?LazyPath = null,
 
+/// (Windows) .def file to embed in the compilation (dll)
+/// Set via options; intended to be read-only after that.
+win32_module_definition: ?LazyPath = null,
+
 installed_path: ?[]const u8,
 
 /// Base address for an executable image.
@@ -284,6 +288,8 @@ pub const Options = struct {
     /// Can be set regardless of target. The `.manifest` file will be ignored
     /// if the target object format does not support embedded manifests.
     win32_manifest: ?LazyPath = null,
+    /// Win32 module definition file.
+    win32_module_definition: ?LazyPath = null,
 };
 
 pub const Kind = enum {
@@ -467,6 +473,13 @@ pub fn create(owner: *std.Build, options: Options) *Compile {
             compile.win32_manifest = lp.dupe(compile.step.owner);
             lp.addStepDependencies(&compile.step);
         }
+        if (compile.kind == .lib and compile.linkage != null and compile.linkage.? == .dynamic) {
+            // Building a Win32 DLL, check for win32 .def file.
+            if (options.win32_module_definition) |lp| {
+                compile.win32_module_definition = lp.dupe(compile.step.owner);
+                lp.addStepDependencies(&compile.step);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     if (compile.kind == .lib) {
@@ -1332,6 +1345,10 @@ fn getZigArgs(compile: *Compile, fuzz: bool) ![][]const u8 {
         try zig_args.append(manifest_file.getPath2(b, step));
     }
 
+    if (compile.win32_module_definition) |module_file| {
+        try zig_args.append(module_file.getPath2(b, step));
+    }
+
     if (compile.image_base) |image_base| {
         try zig_args.append("--image-base");
         try zig_args.append(b.fmt("0x{x}", .{image_base}));
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index a029272987..ed194b4767 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -1809,6 +1809,9 @@ fn buildOutputType(
                             fatal("only one manifest file can be specified, found '{s}' after '{s}'", .{ arg, other });
                         } else manifest_file = arg;
                     },
+                    .def => {
+                        linker_module_definition_file = arg;
+                    },
                     .assembly, .assembly_with_cpp, .c, .cpp, .h, .hpp, .hm, .hmm, .ll, .bc, .m, .mm => {
                         dev.check(.c_compiler);
                         try create_module.c_source_files.append(arena, .{
@@ -1834,7 +1837,7 @@ fn buildOutputType(
                             fatal("found another zig file '{s}' after root source file '{s}'", .{ arg, other });
                         } else root_src_file = arg;
                     },
-                    .def, .unknown => {
+                    .unknown => {
                         if (std.ascii.eqlIgnoreCase(".xml", fs.path.extension(arg))) {
                             warn("embedded manifest files must have the extension '.manifest'", .{});
                         }