diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d125a693..555f5f7c 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -44,6 +44,15 @@ case $host_os in
 esac
 AM_CONDITIONAL([COND_W32], [test "$is_w32" = yes])
 
+# We need to use $EXEEXT with $(LN_S) when creating symlinks to
+# executables. Cygwin is an exception to this, since it is recommended
+# that symlinks don't have the .exe suffix. To make this work, we
+# define LN_EXEEXT.
+case $host_os in
+	cygwin)  LN_EXEEXT= ;;
+	*)       LN_EXEEXT='$(EXEEXT)' ;;
+esac
+AC_SUBST([LN_EXEEXT])
 
 echo
 echo "Configure options:"
diff --git a/src/xz/Makefile.am b/src/xz/Makefile.am
index ccdc66ca..9f4b4668 100644
--- a/src/xz/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/xz/Makefile.am
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ install-exec-hook:
 	cd $(DESTDIR)$(bindir) && \
 	target=`echo xz | sed '$(transform)'`$(EXEEXT) && \
 	for name in $(xzlinks); do \
-		link=`echo $$name | sed '$(transform)'` && \
+		link=`echo $$name | sed '$(transform)'`$(LN_EXEEXT) && \
 		rm -f $$link && \
 		$(LN_S) $$target $$link; \
 	done
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ install-data-hook:
 uninstall-hook:
 	cd $(DESTDIR)$(bindir) && \
 	for name in $(xzlinks); do \
-		link=`echo $$name | sed '$(transform)'` && \
+		link=`echo $$name | sed '$(transform)'`$(LN_EXEEXT) && \
 		rm -f $$link; \
 	done
 	cd $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man1 && \