diff --git a/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install.cmake.in b/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install.cmake.in
index 510f190c..e18c49fe 100644
--- a/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install.cmake.in
+++ b/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install.cmake.in
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ endfunction()
 
 function(_ament_cmake_symlink_create_symlink absolute_file symlink)
   # avoid any work if correct symlink is already in place
-  if(EXISTS "${symlink}" AND IS_SYMLINK "${symlink}")
+  if(WIN32 AND EXISTS "${symlink}" AND IS_SYMLINK "${symlink}")
     get_filename_component(destination "${symlink}" REALPATH)
     if("${destination} " STREQUAL "${absolute_file} ")
       message(STATUS "Up-to-date symlink: ${symlink}")
@@ -268,16 +268,31 @@ function(_ament_cmake_symlink_create_symlink absolute_file symlink)
     file(REMOVE "${symlink}")
   endif()
 
-  execute_process(
-    COMMAND "@CMAKE_COMMAND@" "-E" "create_symlink"
-      "${absolute_file}"
-      "${symlink}"
-  )
-  # the CMake command does not provide a return code so check manually
-  if(NOT EXISTS "${symlink}" OR NOT IS_SYMLINK "${symlink}")
-    get_filename_component(destination "${symlink}" REALPATH)
-    message(FATAL_ERROR
-      "Could not create symlink '${symlink}' pointing to '${absolute_file}'")
+  if(NOT WIN32)
+    execute_process(
+      COMMAND "@CMAKE_COMMAND@" "-E" "create_symlink"
+        "${absolute_file}"
+        "${symlink}"
+    )
+    # the CMake command does not provide a return code so check manually
+    if(NOT EXISTS "${symlink}" OR NOT IS_SYMLINK "${symlink}")
+      get_filename_component(destination "${symlink}" REALPATH)
+      message(FATAL_ERROR
+        "Could not create symlink '${symlink}' pointing to '${absolute_file}'")
+    endif()
+  else()
+    string(REPLACE "/" "\\" symlink "${symlink}")
+    string(REPLACE "/" "\\" absolute_file "${absolute_file}")
+    execute_process(
+      COMMAND "cmd" "/C" "mklink"
+        "${symlink}"
+        "${absolute_file}"
+      RESULT_VARIABLE ret
+    )
+    if(NOT ret EQUAL 0)
+      message(FATAL_ERROR
+        "Could not create symlink '${symlink}' pointing to '${absolute_file}': ${ret}")
+    endif()
   endif()
 endfunction()
 
diff --git a/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install_targets.cmake b/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install_targets.cmake
index ec186290..2305f472 100644
--- a/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install_targets.cmake
+++ b/ament_cmake_core/cmake/symlink_install/ament_cmake_symlink_install_targets.cmake
@@ -57,10 +57,8 @@ function(ament_cmake_symlink_install_targets)
         message(FATAL_ERROR "ament_cmake_symlink_install_targets() "
           "'${target}' is an imported target")
       endif()
-      # TODO consider using a generator expression instead
-      # $<TARGET_FILE:target>
-      get_property(location TARGET ${target} PROPERTY LOCATION)
-      list(APPEND target_files "${location}")
+      message("target: $<TARGET_FILE:${target}>")
+      list(APPEND target_files "$<TARGET_FILE:${target}>")
     endforeach()
 
     string(REPLACE ";" "\" \"" target_files_quoted