diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e69e98eb..de5b69ca 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -279,6 +279,14 @@ target_include_directories(
 )
 
 # Generate and install .pc file
+# Stamp the AL version into consuming binaries via a linker-defined symbol.
+# --defsym is specific to GNU-compatible linkers: Apple's ld64 and MSVC's
+# link.exe reject it, so only emit the flag where it is supported.
+if(APPLE OR WIN32)
+  set(AL_PC_VERSION_SYMBOL_FLAG "")
+else()
+  set(AL_PC_VERSION_SYMBOL_FLAG " -Wl,--defsym,AL_VER_${PROJECT_VERSION}=0")
+endif()
 configure_file(pkgconfig/al-core.pc.in al-core.pc @ONLY)
 include(GNUInstallDirs)
 install(
diff --git a/pkgconfig/al-core.pc.in b/pkgconfig/al-core.pc.in
index 4d9a0d16..5a90d4a7 100644
--- a/pkgconfig/al-core.pc.in
+++ b/pkgconfig/al-core.pc.in
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ Version: @PROJECT_VERSION@
 Description: IMAS Access Layer core libraries for C.
 URL: https://imas.iter.org
 Cflags: -I${includedir}
-Libs: -L${libdir} -lal -Wl,--defsym,AL_VER_@PROJECT_VERSION@=0 -Wl,-rpath,${libdir}
+Libs: -L${libdir} -lal@AL_PC_VERSION_SYMBOL_FLAG@ -Wl,-rpath,${libdir}