diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 27b33d1ed..9a834bb5e 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -209,16 +209,6 @@ AS_IF([test "$glib_native_win32" = "yes"], [
 ])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(MS_LIB_AVAILABLE, [test x$ms_librarian = xyes])
 
-if test "$glib_native_win32" != yes; then
-    # libtool option to control which symbols are exported
-    # right now, symbols starting with _ are not exported
-    LIBTOOL_EXPORT_OPTIONS='-export-symbols-regex "^g.*"'
-else
-    # We currently use .def files on Windows
-    LIBTOOL_EXPORT_OPTIONS=
-fi
-AC_SUBST(LIBTOOL_EXPORT_OPTIONS)
-
 AS_IF([test "x$glib_have_carbon" = "xyes"], [
   AC_DEFINE(HAVE_CARBON, 1, [define to 1 if Carbon is available])
   LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -Wl,-framework,Carbon"
diff --git a/gio/Makefile.am b/gio/Makefile.am
index 683ff071b..e8f48653d 100644
--- a/gio/Makefile.am
+++ b/gio/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.decl
 
 NULL =
+BUILT_SOURCES =
 
 SUBDIRS = gdbus-2.0/codegen
 
@@ -23,15 +24,8 @@ install-ms-lib:
 uninstall-ms-lib:
 	$(uninstall_ms_lib_cmd)
 
-gio.def: gio.symbols
-	$(AM_V_GEN) (echo EXPORTS; $(CPP) -P -DINCLUDE_VARIABLES -DINCLUDE_INTERNAL_SYMBOLS -DG_OS_WIN32 -DALL_FILES - <$(srcdir)/gio.symbols | sed -e '/^$$/d' -e 's/^/	/' -e 's/G_GNUC_[^ ]*//g' | sort) > $(builddir)/gio.def.tmp && \
-	  mv $(builddir)/gio.def.tmp $(builddir)/gio.def
-
-if OS_LINUX
-if HAVE_GNUC_VISIBILITY
-TESTS = abicheck.sh
-endif
-endif
+gio.def: gio.symbols $(top_builddir)/glib/glibconfig.h $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN) env GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS="$(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS)" $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh $< $@
 
 AM_CPPFLAGS = \
 	-DG_LOG_DOMAIN=\"GLib-GIO\"			\
@@ -493,9 +487,6 @@ no_undefined = -no-undefined
 endif
 
 if OS_WIN32_AND_DLL_COMPILATION
-export_symbols = -export-symbols $(builddir)/gio.def
-gio_def = gio.def
-
 gio_win32_res = gio-win32-res.o
 gio_win32_res_ldflag = -Wl,$(gio_win32_res)
 
@@ -507,8 +498,6 @@ uninstall-def-file:
 else
 install-def-file:
 uninstall-def-file:
-
-export_symbols = $(LIBTOOL_EXPORT_OPTIONS)
 endif
 
 install-data-local: install-ms-lib install-def-file
@@ -519,7 +508,7 @@ uninstall-local: uninstall-ms-lib uninstall-def-file
 libgio_2_0_la_LDFLAGS = $(GLIB_LINK_FLAGS) \
 	$(gio_win32_res_ldflag) \
 	-version-info $(LT_CURRENT):$(LT_REVISION):$(LT_AGE) \
-	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) $(export_symbols)
+	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) -export-symbols gio.def
 
 if OS_COCOA
 # This is dumb.  The ObjC source file should be properly named .m
@@ -527,7 +516,7 @@ libgio_2_0_la_CFLAGS = -xobjective-c
 libgio_2_0_la_LDFLAGS += -Wl,-framework,Foundation
 endif
 
-libgio_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gio_win32_res) $(gio_def) $(platform_deps)
+libgio_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gio_win32_res) gio.def $(platform_deps)
 
 gio-win32-res.o: gio.rc
 	$(WINDRES) gio.rc $@
@@ -637,7 +626,7 @@ gioinclude_HEADERS = 		\
 	gioenumtypes.h
 
 # these sources (also mentioned above) are generated.
-BUILT_SOURCES = 		\
+BUILT_SOURCES += 		\
 	gconstructor_as_data.h	\
 	gioenumtypes.h		\
 	gioenumtypes.c		\
@@ -651,7 +640,6 @@ EXTRA_DIST += 			\
 	gioenumtypes.h.template	\
 	gioenumtypes.c.template	\
 	makefile.msc		\
-	abicheck.sh		\
 	gio.rc.in		\
 	gschema.dtd		\
 	gconstructor_as_data.h	\
diff --git a/gio/abicheck.sh b/gio/abicheck.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 8bdc9cf74..000000000
--- a/gio/abicheck.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-
-egrep '^#([^i]|if).*[^\]$' "${top_builddir:-..}/glib/glibconfig.h" > glibconfig.cpp
-
-INCLUDES="-include ${top_builddir:-..}/config.h"
-INCLUDES="$INCLUDES -include glibconfig.cpp"
-
-cpp -P $INCLUDES ${srcdir:-.}/gio.symbols | sed -e '/^$/d' -e 's/ PRIVATE$//' | sort > expected-abi
-rm glibconfig.cpp
-
-nm -D -g --defined-only .libs/libgio-2.0.so | cut -d ' ' -f 3 | egrep -v '^(__bss_start|_edata|_end)' | sort > actual-abi
-
-diff -u expected-abi actual-abi && rm expected-abi actual-abi
diff --git a/glib/Makefile.am b/glib/Makefile.am
index 3168b1a4f..e3d50b355 100644
--- a/glib/Makefile.am
+++ b/glib/Makefile.am
@@ -49,15 +49,8 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = 				\
 	-DGLIB_COMPILATION 		\
 	-DPCRE_STATIC
 
-glib.def: glib.symbols
-	$(AM_V_GEN) (echo EXPORTS; $(CPP) -P -DG_OS_WIN32 - <$(srcdir)/glib.symbols | sed -e '/^$$/d' -e 's/^/	/') > $(builddir)/glib.def
-
-if OS_LINUX
-if HAVE_GNUC_VISIBILITY
-TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS="$(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS)"
-TESTS = abicheck.sh
-endif
-endif
+glib.def: glib.symbols $(top_builddir)/glib/glibconfig.h $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN) env GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS="$(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS)" $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh $< $@
 
 MIRRORING_TAB_SOURCE = 				\
 	glib-mirroring-tab/Makefile 		\
@@ -74,7 +67,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST += 			\
 	gen-unicode-tables.pl	\
 	gen-script-table.pl	\
 	glibconfig.h.win32.in	\
-	abicheck.sh		\
+	process-symbol-file.sh	\
 	glib.symbols		\
 	gregex.c		\
 	gregex.h		\
@@ -349,13 +342,9 @@ no_undefined = -no-undefined
 endif
 
 if OS_WIN32_AND_DLL_COMPILATION
-export_symbols = -export-symbols $(builddir)/glib.def
-
 glib_win32_res = glib-win32-res.o
 glib_win32_res_ldflag = -Wl,$(glib_win32_res)
 
-glib_def = glib.def
-
 install-def-file:
 	$(INSTALL) $(builddir)/glib.def $(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/glib-2.0.def
 
@@ -364,8 +353,6 @@ uninstall-def-file:
 else
 install-def-file:
 uninstall-def-file:
-
-export_symbols = $(LIBTOOL_EXPORT_OPTIONS)
 endif
 
 if USE_SYSTEM_PCRE
@@ -377,12 +364,12 @@ pcre_inc =
 endif
 
 libglib_2_0_la_LIBADD = libcharset/libcharset.la $(printf_la) @GIO@ @GSPAWN@ @PLATFORMDEP@ @ICONV_LIBS@ @G_LIBS_EXTRA@ $(pcre_lib) $(G_THREAD_LIBS_EXTRA) $(G_THREAD_LIBS_FOR_GTHREAD)
-libglib_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = libcharset/libcharset.la $(printf_la) @GIO@ @GSPAWN@ @PLATFORMDEP@ $(glib_win32_res) $(glib_def)
+libglib_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = libcharset/libcharset.la $(printf_la) @GIO@ @GSPAWN@ @PLATFORMDEP@ $(glib_win32_res) glib.def
 
 libglib_2_0_la_LDFLAGS = $(GLIB_LINK_FLAGS) \
 	 $(glib_win32_res_ldflag) \
 	-version-info $(LT_CURRENT):$(LT_REVISION):$(LT_AGE) \
-	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) $(export_symbols)
+	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) -export-symbols glib.def
 
 INSTALL_PROGS=
 
diff --git a/glib/abicheck.sh b/glib/abicheck.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 313779404..000000000
--- a/glib/abicheck.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-
-egrep '^#([^i]|if).*[^\]$' "${builddir:-.}/glibconfig.h" > glibconfig.cpp
-
-INCLUDES="-include ${top_builddir:-..}/config.h"
-INCLUDES="$INCLUDES -include glibconfig.cpp $GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS"
-
-cpp -P -DG_STDIO_NO_WRAP_ON_UNIX  $INCLUDES "${srcdir:-.}/glib.symbols" | sed -e '/^$/d' -e 's/ PRIVATE$//' | sort > expected-abi
-rm -f glibconfig.cpp
-
-nm -D -g --defined-only .libs/libglib-2.0.so | cut -d ' ' -f 3 | egrep -v '^(__bss_start|_edata|_end)' | sort > actual-abi
-
-diff -u expected-abi actual-abi && rm -f expected-abi actual-abi
diff --git a/glib/process-symbol-file.sh b/glib/process-symbol-file.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..1a81f3808
--- /dev/null
+++ b/glib/process-symbol-file.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+# Process a .symbol file which is a list of symbols, one per line,
+# with C preprocessor conditionals.  Some symbols maybe suffixed
+# PRIVATE, which is ignored on Unix.
+
+set -e
+
+SYMBOLFILE=$1
+OUTPUT=$2
+
+usage () {
+    echo "$0: usage: [--win32] SYMBOLFILE OUTPUT"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+test -n "$SYMBOLFILE" || usage
+test -n "$OUTPUT" || usage
+
+egrep '^#([^i]|if).*[^\]$' "${top_builddir:-..}/glib/glibconfig.h" > glibconfig.cpp
+
+if egrep '^#define G_OS_WIN32' glibconfig.cpp; then
+    win32_mode=true
+else
+    win32_mode=false
+fi
+
+INCLUDES="-include ${top_builddir:-..}/config.h"
+INCLUDES="$INCLUDES -include glibconfig.cpp $GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS"
+
+rm -f $OUTPUT.tmp
+touch $OUTPUT.tmp
+if $win32_mode; then
+    INCLUDES="$INCLUDES -DG_OS_WIN32"
+    SED_ARG='s/^/	/'
+    echo EXPORTS >> $OUTPUT.tmp
+else
+    INCLUDES="$INCLUDES -DG_STDIO_NO_WRAP_ON_UNIX"
+    SED_ARG='s/ PRIVATE$//'
+fi
+    
+cpp -P  $INCLUDES $SYMBOLFILE | sed -e '/^$/d' -e "$SED_ARG" >> $OUTPUT.tmp && mv $OUTPUT.tmp $OUTPUT
+
+rm -f glibconfig.cpp
+
diff --git a/gmodule/Makefile.am b/gmodule/Makefile.am
index 5e08c1132..c79741496 100644
--- a/gmodule/Makefile.am
+++ b/gmodule/Makefile.am
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 ## Process this file with automake to produce Makefile.in
 include $(top_srcdir)/Makefile.decl
 
+BUILT_SOURCES =
+
 AM_CPPFLAGS = 				\
 	$(glib_INCLUDES) 		\
 	-DG_LOG_DOMAIN=\"GModule\" 	\
@@ -8,7 +10,7 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = 				\
 	-DG_DISABLE_DEPRECATED
 
 gmodule.def: gmodule.symbols
-	$(AM_V_GEN) (echo EXPORTS; $(CPP) -P - <$(srcdir)/gmodule.symbols | sed -e '/^$$/d' -e 's/^/	/') > $(builddir)/gmodule.def
+	$(AM_V_GEN) env GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS="$(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS)" $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh $< $@
 
 EXTRA_DIST +=				\
 		makefile.msc.in 	\
@@ -28,7 +30,7 @@ BUILT_EXTRA_DIST = \
 		makefile.msc	\
 		gmodule.rc
 
-BUILT_SOURCES = gmoduleconf.h
+BUILT_SOURCES += gmoduleconf.h
 gmoduleconf.h:	gmoduleconf.h.in
 
 glibincludedir=$(includedir)/glib-2.0
@@ -61,9 +63,6 @@ no_undefined = -no-undefined
 endif
 
 if OS_WIN32_AND_DLL_COMPILATION
-export_symbols = -export-symbols $(builddir)/gmodule.def
-gmodule_def = gmodule.def
-
 gmodule_win32_res = gmodule-win32-res.o
 gmodule_win32_res_ldflag = -Wl,$(gmodule_win32_res)
 
@@ -82,11 +81,11 @@ libgmodule_2_0_la_LDFLAGS = $(GLIB_LINK_FLAGS) \
 	$(gmodule_win32_res_ldflag) \
 	$(G_MODULE_LDFLAGS) \
 	-version-info $(LT_CURRENT):$(LT_REVISION):$(LT_AGE) \
-	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) $(export_symbols)
+	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) -export-symbols gmodule.def
 
 libgmodule_2_0_la_LIBADD = $(G_MODULE_LIBS_EXTRA) $(G_MODULE_LIBS) $(libglib)
 
-libgmodule_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gmodule_win32_res) $(gmodule_def)
+libgmodule_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gmodule_win32_res) gmodule.def
 
 gmodule-win32-res.o: gmodule.rc
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(WINDRES) gmodule.rc $@
diff --git a/gobject/Makefile.am b/gobject/Makefile.am
index d7c15d16c..9c6eb0908 100644
--- a/gobject/Makefile.am
+++ b/gobject/Makefile.am
@@ -18,14 +18,8 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = 					\
 	$(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS)			\
 	-DGOBJECT_COMPILATION
 
-gobject.def: gobject.symbols
-	$(AM_V_GEN) (echo EXPORTS; $(CPP) -P -DINCLUDE_VARIABLES -DINCLUDE_INTERNAL_SYMBOLS -DG_OS_WIN32 -DALL_FILES - <$(srcdir)/gobject.symbols | $(SED) -e '/^$$/d' -e 's/^/	/' -e 's/G_GNUC_[^ ]*//g' | sort) > $(builddir)/gobject.def
-
-if OS_LINUX
-if HAVE_GNUC_VISIBILITY
-TESTS = abicheck.sh
-endif
-endif
+gobject.def: gobject.symbols $(top_builddir)/glib/glibconfig.h $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN) env GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS="$(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS)" $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh $< $@
 
 libglib = $(top_builddir)/glib/libglib-2.0.la
 
@@ -52,9 +46,6 @@ no_undefined = -no-undefined
 endif
 
 if OS_WIN32_AND_DLL_COMPILATION
-export_symbols = -export-symbols $(builddir)/gobject.def
-gobject_def = gobject.def
-
 gobject_win32_res = gobject-win32-res.o
 gobject_win32_res_ldflag = -Wl,$(gobject_win32_res)
 
@@ -66,8 +57,6 @@ uninstall-def-file:
 else
 install-def-file:
 uninstall-def-file:
-
-export_symbols = $(LIBTOOL_EXPORT_OPTIONS)
 endif
 
 # libtool stuff: set version and export symbols for resolving
@@ -75,13 +64,13 @@ libgobjectincludedir = $(includedir)/glib-2.0/gobject
 libgobject_2_0_la_LDFLAGS = $(GLIB_LINK_FLAGS) \
   $(gobject_win32_res_ldflag) \
   -version-info $(LT_CURRENT):$(LT_REVISION):$(LT_AGE) \
-  -export-dynamic $(no_undefined) $(export_symbols)
+  -export-dynamic $(no_undefined) -export-symbols gobject.def
 
 libgobject_2_0_la_CFLAGS = $(LIBFFI_CFLAGS)
 
 libgobject_2_0_la_LIBADD = $(libglib) $(LIBFFI_LIBS)
 
-libgobject_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gobject_win32_res) $(gobject_def)
+libgobject_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gobject_win32_res) gobject.def
 
 #
 # setup source file variables
@@ -232,8 +221,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST += 			\
 	makefile.msc.in 	\
 	gobject.rc.in		\
 	libgobject-gdb.py.in	\
-	glib-mkenums.in		\
-	abicheck.sh
+	glib-mkenums.in
 
 CLEANFILES += libgobject-gdb.py
 
diff --git a/gobject/abicheck.sh b/gobject/abicheck.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index 7210bd6c3..000000000
--- a/gobject/abicheck.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-
-egrep '^#([^i]|if).*[^\]$' "${top_builddir:-..}/glib/glibconfig.h" > glibconfig.cpp
-
-INCLUDES="-include ${top_builddir:-..}/config.h"
-INCLUDES="$INCLUDES -include glibconfig.cpp"
-
-cpp -DINCLUDE_VARIABLES -P $INCLUDES ${srcdir:-.}/gobject.symbols | sed -e '/^$/d' -e 's/ PRIVATE$//' | sort > expected-abi
-rm glibconfig.cpp
-
-nm -D -g --defined-only .libs/libgobject-2.0.so | cut -d ' ' -f 3 | egrep -v '^(__bss_start|_edata|_end)' | sort > actual-abi
-
-diff -u expected-abi actual-abi && rm expected-abi actual-abi
diff --git a/gthread/Makefile.am b/gthread/Makefile.am
index 325fec44a..73859d06c 100644
--- a/gthread/Makefile.am
+++ b/gthread/Makefile.am
@@ -7,9 +7,12 @@ AM_CPPFLAGS = 				\
 	@GTHREAD_COMPILE_IMPL_DEFINES@ 	\
 	@GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS@
 
+gthread.def: gthread.symbols $(top_builddir)/glib/glibconfig.h $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh Makefile
+	$(AM_V_GEN) env GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS="$(GLIB_DEBUG_FLAGS)" $(top_srcdir)/glib/process-symbol-file.sh $< $@
+
 EXTRA_DIST +=				\
 		makefile.msc.in		\
-		gthread.def		\
+		gthread.symbols		\
 		gthread.rc.in
 
 BUILT_EXTRA_DIST = 			\
@@ -42,9 +45,6 @@ no_undefined = -no-undefined
 endif
 
 if OS_WIN32_AND_DLL_COMPILATION
-export_symbols = -export-symbols $(srcdir)/gthread.def
-gthread_def = gthread.def
-
 install-def-file:
 	$(INSTALL) $(srcdir)/gthread.def $(DESTDIR)$(libdir)/gthread-2.0.def
 
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ libgthread_2_0_la_SOURCES = gthread-impl.c
 libgthread_2_0_la_LDFLAGS = $(GLIB_LINK_FLAGS) \
 	$(gthread_win32_res_ldflag) \
 	-version-info $(LT_CURRENT):$(LT_REVISION):$(LT_AGE) \
-	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) $(export_symbols)
+	-export-dynamic $(no_undefined) -export-symbols gthread.def
 
 libgthread_2_0_la_LIBADD = $(G_THREAD_LIBS_EXTRA) $(G_THREAD_LIBS_FOR_GTHREAD) $(libglib)
 
-libgthread_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gthread_win32_res) $(gthread_def)
+libgthread_2_0_la_DEPENDENCIES = $(gthread_win32_res) gthread.def
 
 gthread-win32-res.o: gthread.rc
 	$(AM_V_GEN) $(WINDRES) gthread.rc $@
diff --git a/gthread/gthread.def b/gthread/gthread.def
index 200b04346..99864ba64 100644
--- a/gthread/gthread.def
+++ b/gthread/gthread.def
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
-EXPORTS
-	g_thread_init
-	g_thread_init_with_errorcheck_mutexes
+g_thread_init
+g_thread_init_with_errorcheck_mutexes
diff --git a/gthread/gthread.symbols b/gthread/gthread.symbols
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..99864ba64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gthread/gthread.symbols
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+g_thread_init
+g_thread_init_with_errorcheck_mutexes