diff --git a/src/cairo.h b/src/cairo.h
index 6758a4d01..8abf359ee 100644
--- a/src/cairo.h
+++ b/src/cairo.h
@@ -51,7 +51,11 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifndef cairo_public
-# define cairo_public
+# ifdef _MSC_VER
+#  define cairo_public __declspec(dllimport)
+# else
+#  define cairo_public
+# endif
 #endif
 
 CAIRO_BEGIN_DECLS
diff --git a/src/cairoint.h b/src/cairoint.h
index 793f99fc7..740281c45 100644
--- a/src/cairoint.h
+++ b/src/cairoint.h
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+#define cairo_public __declspec(dllexport)
+#endif
+
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>