diff --git a/make/defs.mk b/make/defs.mk
index 8d057aff..6ab553fe 100644
--- a/make/defs.mk
+++ b/make/defs.mk
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ MAJOR_MINOR_RELEASE    = $(shell echo $(DIST_VERSION) | cut -d- -f1)
 BUILD_NUMBER           = $(shell echo $(DIST_VERSION) | cut -d- -f2)
 CVS_RSH               ?= /usr/bin/ssh
 LD_LIBRARY_PATH_ENV   := $(LD_LIBRARY_PATH)
+ifneq ($(TARGET),mingw)
+EXE                   ?= $(EXE_BASENAME)
+else
+EXE                   ?= $(EXE_BASENAME).exe
+endif
+
 
 # ----- input dirs
 ifeq ($(PROJECT),ytools)