diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 6cd5a1e5..7d96ccd5 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -516,16 +516,18 @@ EXTRA_DIST += $(vkd3d_shader_tests)
 
 if BUILD_DEMOS
 DEMOS_LDADD = $(LDADD) libvkd3d-shader.la @DL_LIBS@ @DEMO_LIBS@
-DEMOS_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS) @DEMO_CFLAGS@
+DEMOS_CFLAGS = $(AM_CFLAGS) @DEMO_CFLAGS@ -Wa,-I$(srcdir)/demos
 bin_PROGRAMS += $(vkd3d_demos)
 
-demos_vkd3d_gears_SOURCES = demos/gears.c demos/gears_hlsl.h
+demos_vkd3d_gears_SOURCES = demos/gears.c demos/gears.hlsl
 demos_vkd3d_gears_CFLAGS = $(DEMOS_CFLAGS)
 demos_vkd3d_gears_LDADD = $(DEMOS_LDADD) -lm
+demos/vkd3d_gears-gears.$(OBJEXT): demos/gears.hlsl
 
-demos_vkd3d_triangle_SOURCES = demos/triangle.c demos/triangle_hlsl.h
+demos_vkd3d_triangle_SOURCES = demos/triangle.c demos/triangle.hlsl
 demos_vkd3d_triangle_CFLAGS = $(DEMOS_CFLAGS)
 demos_vkd3d_triangle_LDADD = $(DEMOS_LDADD)
+demos/vkd3d_triangle-triangle.$(OBJEXT): demos/triangle.hlsl
 endif
 
 noinst_HEADERS = $(vkd3d_test_headers) $(vkd3d_demos_headers)
@@ -586,7 +588,7 @@ dummy-vkd3d-version:
 ## Cross-compile tests
 cross_implibs = crosslibs/d3d12
 CROSS_CPPFLAGS = -I$(srcdir)/include -I$(srcdir)/include/private -I$(builddir)/include -I$(builddir)/tests
-CROSS_CFLAGS = -g -O2 -Wall -municode ${CROSS_CPPFLAGS} \
+CROSS_CFLAGS = -g -O2 -Wall -municode ${CROSS_CPPFLAGS} -Wa,-I$(srcdir)/demos \
 	-D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0600 -D__USE_MINGW_ANSI_STDIO=0 -DVKD3D_CROSSTEST=1
 EXTRA_DIST += $(cross_implibs:=.cross32.def) $(cross_implibs:=.cross64.def)
 EXTRA_DIST += tests/driver.c tests/shader_runner_d3d11.c tests/shader_runner_d3d9.c
@@ -610,6 +612,8 @@ CROSS32_EXEFILES += $(vkd3d_cross_tests:=.cross32.exe)
 endif
 if BUILD_DEMOS
 CROSS32_EXEFILES += $(vkd3d_demos:demos/vkd3d-%=demos/%.cross32.exe)
+demos/gears.cross32.exe: demos/gears.hlsl
+demos/triangle.cross32.exe: demos/triangle.hlsl
 endif
 
 CROSS32_FILES = $(CROSS32_EXEFILES)
@@ -657,6 +661,8 @@ CROSS64_EXEFILES += $(vkd3d_cross_tests:=.cross64.exe)
 endif
 if BUILD_DEMOS
 CROSS64_EXEFILES += $(vkd3d_demos:demos/vkd3d-%=demos/%.cross64.exe)
+demos/gears.cross64.exe: demos/gears.hlsl
+demos/triangle.cross64.exe: demos/triangle.hlsl
 endif
 
 CROSS64_FILES = $(CROSS64_EXEFILES)
diff --git a/demos/demo.h b/demos/demo.h
index b2b93172..24302007 100644
--- a/demos/demo.h
+++ b/demos/demo.h
@@ -39,6 +39,42 @@
 #include <vkd3d_d3d12.h>
 #include <inttypes.h>
 
+#ifdef __WIN32__
+#define DEMO_ASM_PUSHSECTION ".section rdata\n\t"
+#define DEMO_ASM_POPSECTION ".text\n\t"
+#define DEMO_ASM_OBJECT_TYPE(name)
+#else
+#define DEMO_ASM_PUSHSECTION ".pushsection .rodata\n\t"
+#define DEMO_ASM_POPSECTION ".popsection\n\t"
+#define DEMO_ASM_OBJECT_TYPE(name) ".type "name", @object\n\t"
+#endif
+
+#if defined(__WIN32__) && defined(__i386__)
+#define DEMO_ASM_NAME(name) "_"#name
+#else
+#define DEMO_ASM_NAME(name) #name
+#endif
+
+#define DEMO_EMBED_ASM(name, file) \
+    DEMO_ASM_PUSHSECTION \
+    ".global "name"\n\t" \
+    DEMO_ASM_OBJECT_TYPE(name) \
+    ".balign 8\n\t" \
+    name":\n\t" \
+    ".incbin \""file"\"\n\t" \
+    name"_end:\n\t" \
+    ".global "name"_size\n\t" \
+    DEMO_ASM_OBJECT_TYPE(name"_size") \
+    ".balign 8\n\t" \
+    name"_size:\n\t" \
+    ".int "name"_end - "name"\n\t" \
+    DEMO_ASM_POPSECTION
+
+#define DEMO_EMBED(name, file) \
+    extern const unsigned int name##_size; \
+    extern const uint8_t name[]; \
+    __asm__(DEMO_EMBED_ASM(DEMO_ASM_NAME(name), file))
+
 #define ARRAY_SIZE(x) (sizeof(x) / sizeof(*x))
 
 #define DEMO_KEY_UNKNOWN    0x0000
diff --git a/demos/gears.c b/demos/gears.c
index 5809648e..1171c3c7 100644
--- a/demos/gears.c
+++ b/demos/gears.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include "demo.h"
 
-#include "gears_hlsl.h"
+DEMO_EMBED(gears_hlsl, "gears.hlsl");
 
 struct cxg_fence
 {
@@ -681,11 +681,14 @@ static void cxg_load_assets(struct cx_gears *cxg)
     hr = demo_create_root_signature(cxg->device, &root_signature_desc, &cxg->root_signature);
     assert(SUCCEEDED(hr));
 
-    hr = D3DCompile(gears_hlsl, strlen(gears_hlsl), NULL, NULL, NULL, "vs_main", "vs_5_0", 0, 0, &vs, NULL);
+    hr = D3DCompile(gears_hlsl, gears_hlsl_size, "gears.hlsl",
+            NULL, NULL, "vs_main", "vs_5_0", 0, 0, &vs, NULL);
     assert(SUCCEEDED(hr));
-    hr = D3DCompile(gears_hlsl, strlen(gears_hlsl), NULL, NULL, NULL, "ps_main_flat", "ps_5_0", 0, 0, &ps_flat, NULL);
+    hr = D3DCompile(gears_hlsl, gears_hlsl_size, "gears.hlsl",
+            NULL, NULL, "ps_main_flat", "ps_5_0", 0, 0, &ps_flat, NULL);
     assert(SUCCEEDED(hr));
-    hr = D3DCompile(gears_hlsl, strlen(gears_hlsl), NULL, NULL, NULL, "ps_main_smooth", "ps_5_0", 0, 0, &ps_smooth, NULL);
+    hr = D3DCompile(gears_hlsl, gears_hlsl_size, "gears.hlsl",
+            NULL, NULL, "ps_main_smooth", "ps_5_0", 0, 0, &ps_smooth, NULL);
     assert(SUCCEEDED(hr));
 
     memset(&pso_desc, 0, sizeof(pso_desc));
diff --git a/demos/gears.hlsl b/demos/gears.hlsl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6b5c3579
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demos/gears.hlsl
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+cbuffer gear_block : register(b0)
+{
+    float4x4 mvp_matrix;
+    float3x3 normal_matrix;
+};
+
+struct vs_in
+{
+    float4 position : POSITION;
+    float3 normal : NORMAL;
+    float3 diffuse : DIFFUSE;
+    float4 transform : TRANSFORM;
+};
+
+struct vs_out
+{
+    float4 position : SV_POSITION;
+    float4 colour : COLOR;
+};
+
+struct vs_out vs_main(struct vs_in i)
+{
+    const float3 l_pos = float3(5.0, 5.0, 10.0);
+    float3 dir, normal;
+    float4 position;
+    struct vs_out o;
+    float att;
+
+    position.x = i.transform.x * i.position.x - i.transform.y * i.position.y + i.transform.z;
+    position.y = i.transform.x * i.position.y + i.transform.y * i.position.x + i.transform.w;
+    position.zw = i.position.zw;
+
+    o.position = mul(mvp_matrix, position);
+    dir = normalize(l_pos - o.position.xyz / o.position.w);
+
+    normal.x = i.transform.x * i.normal.x - i.transform.y * i.normal.y;
+    normal.y = i.transform.x * i.normal.y + i.transform.y * i.normal.x;
+    normal.z = i.normal.z;
+    att = 0.2 + dot(dir, normalize(mul(normal_matrix, normal)));
+
+    o.colour.xyz = i.diffuse.xyz * att;
+    o.colour.w = 1.0;
+
+    return o;
+}
+
+float4 ps_main_smooth(float4 position : SV_POSITION, float4 colour : COLOR) : SV_TARGET
+{
+    return colour;
+}
+
+float4 ps_main_flat(float4 position : SV_POSITION, nointerpolation float4 colour : COLOR) : SV_TARGET
+{
+    return colour;
+}
diff --git a/demos/gears_hlsl.h b/demos/gears_hlsl.h
deleted file mode 100644
index c711f0b3..00000000
--- a/demos/gears_hlsl.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,56 +0,0 @@
-static const char gears_hlsl[] =
-"cbuffer gear_block : register(b0)\n"
-"{\n"
-"    float4x4 mvp_matrix;\n"
-"    float3x3 normal_matrix;\n"
-"};\n"
-"\n"
-"struct vs_in\n"
-"{\n"
-"    float4 position : POSITION;\n"
-"    float3 normal : NORMAL;\n"
-"    float3 diffuse : DIFFUSE;\n"
-"    float4 transform : TRANSFORM;\n"
-"};\n"
-"\n"
-"struct vs_out\n"
-"{\n"
-"    float4 position : SV_POSITION;\n"
-"    float4 colour : COLOR;\n"
-"};\n"
-"\n"
-"struct vs_out vs_main(struct vs_in i)\n"
-"{\n"
-"    const float3 l_pos = float3(5.0, 5.0, 10.0);\n"
-"    float3 dir, normal;\n"
-"    float4 position;\n"
-"    struct vs_out o;\n"
-"    float att;\n"
-"\n"
-"    position.x = i.transform.x * i.position.x - i.transform.y * i.position.y + i.transform.z;\n"
-"    position.y = i.transform.x * i.position.y + i.transform.y * i.position.x + i.transform.w;\n"
-"    position.zw = i.position.zw;\n"
-"\n"
-"    o.position = mul(mvp_matrix, position);\n"
-"    dir = normalize(l_pos - o.position.xyz / o.position.w);\n"
-"\n"
-"    normal.x = i.transform.x * i.normal.x - i.transform.y * i.normal.y;\n"
-"    normal.y = i.transform.x * i.normal.y + i.transform.y * i.normal.x;\n"
-"    normal.z = i.normal.z;\n"
-"    att = 0.2 + dot(dir, normalize(mul(normal_matrix, normal)));\n"
-"\n"
-"    o.colour.xyz = i.diffuse.xyz * att;\n"
-"    o.colour.w = 1.0;\n"
-"\n"
-"    return o;\n"
-"}\n"
-"\n"
-"float4 ps_main_smooth(float4 position : SV_POSITION, float4 colour : COLOR) : SV_TARGET\n"
-"{\n"
-"    return colour;\n"
-"}\n"
-"\n"
-"float4 ps_main_flat(float4 position : SV_POSITION, nointerpolation float4 colour : COLOR) : SV_TARGET\n"
-"{\n"
-"    return colour;\n"
-"}\n";
diff --git a/demos/triangle.c b/demos/triangle.c
index 79257ed8..936bab97 100644
--- a/demos/triangle.c
+++ b/demos/triangle.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include "demo.h"
 
-#include "triangle_hlsl.h"
+DEMO_EMBED(triangle_hlsl, "triangle.hlsl");
 
 struct cxt_fence
 {
@@ -285,9 +285,11 @@ static void cxt_load_assets(struct cx_triangle *cxt)
     hr = demo_create_root_signature(cxt->device, &root_signature_desc, &cxt->root_signature);
     assert(SUCCEEDED(hr));
 
-    hr = D3DCompile(triangle_hlsl, strlen(triangle_hlsl), NULL, NULL, NULL, "vs_main", "vs_5_0", 0, 0, &vs, NULL);
+    hr = D3DCompile(triangle_hlsl, triangle_hlsl_size, "triangle.hlsl",
+            NULL, NULL, "vs_main", "vs_5_0", 0, 0, &vs, NULL);
     assert(SUCCEEDED(hr));
-    hr = D3DCompile(triangle_hlsl, strlen(triangle_hlsl), NULL, NULL, NULL, "ps_main", "ps_5_0", 0, 0, &ps, NULL);
+    hr = D3DCompile(triangle_hlsl, triangle_hlsl_size, "triangle.hlsl",
+            NULL, NULL, "ps_main", "ps_5_0", 0, 0, &ps, NULL);
     assert(SUCCEEDED(hr));
 
     memset(&pso_desc, 0, sizeof(pso_desc));
diff --git a/demos/triangle.hlsl b/demos/triangle.hlsl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..90dd5ffe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/demos/triangle.hlsl
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+struct ps_in
+{
+    float4 position : SV_POSITION;
+    float4 colour : COLOR;
+};
+
+struct ps_in vs_main(float4 position : POSITION, float4 colour : COLOR)
+{
+    struct ps_in o;
+
+    o.position = position;
+    o.colour = colour;
+
+    return o;
+}
+
+float4 ps_main(struct ps_in i) : SV_TARGET
+{
+    return i.colour;
+}
diff --git a/demos/triangle_hlsl.h b/demos/triangle_hlsl.h
deleted file mode 100644
index de41bd5a..00000000
--- a/demos/triangle_hlsl.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-static const char triangle_hlsl[] =
-"struct ps_in\n"
-"{\n"
-"    float4 position : SV_POSITION;\n"
-"    float4 colour : COLOR;\n"
-"};\n"
-"\n"
-"struct ps_in vs_main(float4 position : POSITION, float4 colour : COLOR)\n"
-"{\n"
-"    struct ps_in o;\n"
-"\n"
-"    o.position = position;\n"
-"    o.colour = colour;\n"
-"\n"
-"    return o;\n"
-"}\n"
-"\n"
-"float4 ps_main(struct ps_in i) : SV_TARGET\n"
-"{\n"
-"    return i.colour;\n"
-"}\n";