diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
index 2cbacd4222fb..7db86cc4f445 100644
--- a/.bazelrc
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ build:darwin --protocopt=--include_source_info
 # https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/master/src/google/protobuf/compiler/command_line_interface.cc#L1363
 #build:windows --protocopt=--include_source_info
 
+# Use symlinks to avoid copying. We control the environments we build in and
+# can therefore ensure symlinks are available
+startup:windows --windows_enable_symlinks
+
 # Some tools used in tests, like postgres CLI, require cmd.exe which can be located by them
 # using ComSpec environment variable. By default it's not passed from Bazel client environment.
 test:windows --test_env=ComSpec
diff --git a/compatibility/.bazelrc b/compatibility/.bazelrc
index 2cbacd4222fb..7db86cc4f445 100644
--- a/compatibility/.bazelrc
+++ b/compatibility/.bazelrc
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ build:darwin --protocopt=--include_source_info
 # https://github.com/protocolbuffers/protobuf/blob/master/src/google/protobuf/compiler/command_line_interface.cc#L1363
 #build:windows --protocopt=--include_source_info
 
+# Use symlinks to avoid copying. We control the environments we build in and
+# can therefore ensure symlinks are available
+startup:windows --windows_enable_symlinks
+
 # Some tools used in tests, like postgres CLI, require cmd.exe which can be located by them
 # using ComSpec environment variable. By default it's not passed from Bazel client environment.
 test:windows --test_env=ComSpec