diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 359c3cf3..0c7d0c4e 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ set (LOOT_SRC   "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/app/loot_paths.cpp"
 set (LOOT_HEADERS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/app/loot_paths.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/app/loot_settings.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/app/loot_state.h"
-                "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/app/loot_version.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/metadata/condition_evaluator.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/metadata/condition_grammar.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/metadata/conditional_metadata.h"
@@ -209,6 +208,7 @@ set (LOOT_HEADERS "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/app/loot_paths.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/backend/error.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/game_type.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/language_code.h"
+                "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/loot_version.h"
                 "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/loot/message_type.h")
 
 set (LOOT_GUI_SRC "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/gui/main.cpp"
@@ -419,6 +419,10 @@ ENDIF ()
 
 
 IF (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME MATCHES "Windows")
+    set_target_properties (loot_common PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${COMPILE_DEFINITIONS} LOOT_STATIC")
+    set_target_properties (tests PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${COMPILE_DEFINITIONS} LOOT_STATIC")
+    set_target_properties (LOOT PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${COMPILE_DEFINITIONS} LOOT_STATIC")
+    set_target_properties (metadata-validator PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${COMPILE_DEFINITIONS} LOOT_STATIC")
     IF (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
         set_target_properties (loot_api PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS "${COMPILE_DEFINITIONS} LOOT_EXPORT")
     ELSE ()
diff --git a/src/backend/app/loot_version.h b/include/loot/loot_version.h
similarity index 54%
rename from src/backend/app/loot_version.h
rename to include/loot/loot_version.h
index c68b49d5..e93b8bc7 100644
--- a/src/backend/app/loot_version.h
+++ b/include/loot/loot_version.h
@@ -22,20 +22,36 @@ along with LOOT.  If not, see
 <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
 
-#ifndef LOOT_BACKEND_APP_LOOT_VERSION
-#define LOOT_BACKEND_APP_LOOT_VERSION
+#ifndef LOOT_LOOT_VERSION
+#define LOOT_LOOT_VERSION
 
 #include <string>
 
+/* set up dll import/export decorators
+when compiling the dll on windows, ensure LOOT_EXPORT is defined. clients
+that use this header do not need to define anything to import the symbols
+properly. */
+#if defined(_WIN32)
+#   ifdef LOOT_STATIC
+#       define LOOT_API
+#   elif defined LOOT_EXPORT
+#       define LOOT_API __declspec(dllexport)
+#   else
+#       define LOOT_API __declspec(dllimport)
+#   endif
+#else
+#   define LOOT_API
+#endif
+
 namespace loot {
 class LootVersion {
 public:
-  static const unsigned int major;
-  static const unsigned int minor;
-  static const unsigned int patch;
-  static const std::string revision;
+  LOOT_API static const unsigned int major;
+  LOOT_API static const unsigned int minor;
+  LOOT_API static const unsigned int patch;
+  LOOT_API static const std::string revision;
 
-  static std::string string();
+  LOOT_API static std::string string();
 };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backend/app/loot_settings.cpp b/src/backend/app/loot_settings.cpp
index 36f11b8b..aaa84a08 100644
--- a/src/backend/app/loot_settings.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/app/loot_settings.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 
 #include <boost/filesystem/fstream.hpp>
 
-#include "backend/app/loot_version.h"
 #include "loot/loot_version.h"
 
 using std::lock_guard;
diff --git a/src/backend/app/loot_state.cpp b/src/backend/app/loot_state.cpp
index fcaff1f6..035a456c 100644
--- a/src/backend/app/loot_state.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/app/loot_state.cpp
@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@
 
 #include "backend/error.h"
 #include "backend/app/loot_paths.h"
-#include "backend/app/loot_version.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/helpers.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/language.h"
+#include "loot/loot_version.h"
 
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #include <windows.h>
diff --git a/src/backend/app/loot_version.cpp.in b/src/backend/app/loot_version.cpp.in
index 3244bac9..91bbed7b 100644
--- a/src/backend/app/loot_version.cpp.in
+++ b/src/backend/app/loot_version.cpp.in
@@ -22,15 +22,15 @@
     <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
     */
 
-#include "backend/app/loot_version.h"
+#include "loot/loot_version.h"
 
 namespace loot {
-    const unsigned int LootVersion::major = 0;
-    const unsigned int LootVersion::minor = 9;
-    const unsigned int LootVersion::patch = 2;
-    const std::string LootVersion::revision = "@GIT_COMMIT_STRING@";
+const unsigned int LootVersion::major = 0;
+const unsigned int LootVersion::minor = 9;
+const unsigned int LootVersion::patch = 2;
+const std::string LootVersion::revision = "@GIT_COMMIT_STRING@";
 
-    std::string LootVersion::string() {
-        return std::to_string(major) + '.' + std::to_string(minor) + '.' + std::to_string(patch);
-    }
+LOOT_API std::string LootVersion::string() {
+    return std::to_string(major) + '.' + std::to_string(minor) + '.' + std::to_string(patch);
+}
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/query_handler.cpp b/src/gui/query_handler.cpp
index 7a9cfd34..6b810838 100644
--- a/src/gui/query_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/query_handler.cpp
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@
 
 #include "backend/error.h"
 #include "backend/app/loot_paths.h"
-#include "backend/app/loot_version.h"
 #include "backend/plugin/plugin_sorter.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/helpers.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/json.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/version.h"
+#include "loot/loot_version.h"
 
 using boost::filesystem::exists;
 using boost::format;
diff --git a/src/tests/backend/app/loot_settings_test.h b/src/tests/backend/app/loot_settings_test.h
index a1b1da85..c884857c 100644
--- a/src/tests/backend/app/loot_settings_test.h
+++ b/src/tests/backend/app/loot_settings_test.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ along with LOOT.  If not, see
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
-#include "backend/app/loot_version.h"
+#include "loot/loot_version.h"
 
 namespace loot {
 namespace test {
diff --git a/src/tests/backend/helpers/version_test.h b/src/tests/backend/helpers/version_test.h
index c63537da..6546cf75 100644
--- a/src/tests/backend/helpers/version_test.h
+++ b/src/tests/backend/helpers/version_test.h
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ along with LOOT.  If not, see
 #ifndef LOOT_TESTS_BACKEND_HELPERS_VERSION_TEST
 #define LOOT_TESTS_BACKEND_HELPERS_VERSION_TEST
 
-#include "backend/app/loot_version.h"
 #include "backend/helpers/version.h"
+#include "loot/loot_version.h"
 
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
 
diff --git a/src/validator/main.cpp b/src/validator/main.cpp
index 61e36c05..1c388671 100644
--- a/src/validator/main.cpp
+++ b/src/validator/main.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <boost/log/core.hpp>
 
-#include "backend/app/loot_version.h"
+#include "loot/loot_version.h"
 #include "backend/metadata_list.h"
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {