diff --git a/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build b/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build
index 1317c29904..432aecb51b 100644
--- a/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build
+++ b/demos/gtk-demo/meson.build
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ executable('gtk4-demo',
            dependencies: gtkdemo_deps,
            include_directories: confinc,
            gui_app: true,
+           link_args: extra_demo_ldflags,
            install: true)
 
 executable('gtk4-demo-application',
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ executable('gtk4-demo-application',
            dependencies: gtkdemo_deps,
            include_directories: confinc,
            gui_app: true,
+           link_args: extra_demo_ldflags,
            install: true)
 
 # icons
diff --git a/demos/icon-browser/meson.build b/demos/icon-browser/meson.build
index c1f9f759c5..95b1c0f4e4 100644
--- a/demos/icon-browser/meson.build
+++ b/demos/icon-browser/meson.build
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ executable('gtk4-icon-browser',
            dependencies: libgtk_dep,
            include_directories: confinc,
            gui_app: true,
+           link_args: extra_demo_ldflags,
            install: true)
 
 install_data('gtk4-icon-browser.desktop', install_dir: gtk_applicationsdir)
diff --git a/demos/widget-factory/meson.build b/demos/widget-factory/meson.build
index bfe6050ae6..2050d2e750 100644
--- a/demos/widget-factory/meson.build
+++ b/demos/widget-factory/meson.build
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ executable('gtk4-widget-factory',
            dependencies: libgtk_dep,
            include_directories: confinc,
            gui_app: true,
+           link_args: extra_demo_ldflags,
            install: true)
 
 # desktop file
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e998d99314..a84eaf374a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -559,9 +559,15 @@ if quartz_enabled
   backend_immodules += ['quartz']
 endif
 
+extra_demo_ldflags = []
 if win32_enabled
   pc_gdk_extra_libs += ['-lgdi32', '-limm32', '-lshell32', '-lole32']
-  if cc.get_id() != 'msvc'
+  if cc.get_id() == 'msvc'
+    # Since the demo programs are now built as pure GUI programs, we
+    # need to pass in /entry:mainCRTStartup so that they will properly
+    # link on Visual Studio builds
+    extra_demo_ldflags = ['/entry:mainCRTStartup']
+  else
     pc_gdk_extra_libs += ['-Wl,-luuid']
   endif
   pc_gdk_extra_libs += ['-lwinmm', '-ldwmapi', '-lsetupapi', '-lcfgmgr32']