diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 6bf33c7a6..6726e49fd 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,8 +18,34 @@ option(USE_LIBCXX "Link WickedEngine to llvm libc++ library - only available wit
 option(WICKED_EDITOR "Build WickedEngine editor" ON)
 option(WICKED_TESTS "Build WickedEngine tests" ON)
 option(WICKED_IMGUI_EXAMPLE "Build WickedEngine imgui example" ON)
+if (CMAKE_HOST_WIN32)
+	set(symlink_default OFF)
+else()
+	set(symlink_default ON)
+endif()
+option(WICKED_USE_SYMLINKS "Prefer symlinking over copying directories" ${symlink_default})
 
-include(CMakeDependentOption)
+
+if(WICKED_USE_SYMLINKS)
+    # check for symlink support (on windows it requires admin or developer mode)
+    execute_process(
+        COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink CMakeLists.txt ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/symlink-test
+        ERROR_QUIET
+        RESULT_VARIABLE symlink_check_result
+    )
+    if(symlink_check_result EQUAL 0)
+        file(REMOVE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/symlink-test)
+        set(COPY_OR_SYMLINK_DIR_CMD create_symlink)
+    else()
+        message(FATAL_ERROR "Symlinks are not supported. Either disable them using -DWICKED_USE_SYMLINKS=OFF or enable Windows' developer mode")
+    endif()
+else()
+    if(CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_LESS "3.26.0")
+        set(COPY_OR_SYMLINK_DIR_CMD copy_directory)
+    else()
+        set(COPY_OR_SYMLINK_DIR_CMD copy_directory_if_different)
+    endif()
+endif()
 
 if(UNIX)
     option(WICKED_LINUX_TEMPLATE "Build WickedEngine Linux template" ON)
@@ -99,10 +125,9 @@ endif()
 
 add_subdirectory(WickedEngine)
 add_custom_target(Content
-    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E rm -rf ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Content
-    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink ${WICKED_ROOT_DIR}/Content ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Content
-    COMMENT "Symlinking Content directory"
-    VERBATIM
+   COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E ${COPY_OR_SYMLINK_DIR_CMD} ${WICKED_ROOT_DIR}/Content ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/Content
+   COMMENT "$<IF:$<BOOL:${WICKED_USE_SYMLINKS}>,Symlinking,Copying> Content directory"
+   VERBATIM
 )
 
 if (WICKED_EDITOR)
diff --git a/Samples/Tests/CMakeLists.txt b/Samples/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 9dadc4751..78ecee0e9 100644
--- a/Samples/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Samples/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -46,11 +46,11 @@ add_custom_command(
 	# Copy the shader library next to the executable
 	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${WICKED_ROOT_DIR}/WickedEngine/${LIB_DXCOMPILER} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
 	# Copy the resources
-	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_directory ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/images ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/images
+	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E ${COPY_OR_SYMLINK_DIR_CMD} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/images ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/images
 	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/test_script.lua ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/test_script.lua
 	# Copy font test resources
 	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/yumin.ttf ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/
 
-	COMMENT "Copying Tests resources"
+	COMMENT "$<IF:$<BOOL:${WICKED_USE_SYMLINKS}>,Symlinking,Copying> Tests resources"
 	VERBATIM
 )
diff --git a/WickedEngine/CMakeLists.txt b/WickedEngine/CMakeLists.txt
index d37cf4462..7a22706f2 100644
--- a/WickedEngine/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/WickedEngine/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@ set_property(TARGET dxcompiler PROPERTY
 
 # Copy the shader library next to the executable
 add_custom_command(
-		TARGET ${TARGET_NAME} POST_BUILD
-		COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${WICKED_ROOT_DIR}/WickedEngine/${LIBDXCOMPILER} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
-		COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E create_symlink ${WICKED_ROOT_DIR}/WickedEngine/shaders ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/shaders
+	TARGET ${TARGET_NAME} POST_BUILD
+	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different ${WICKED_ROOT_DIR}/WickedEngine/${LIBDXCOMPILER} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}
+	COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E ${COPY_OR_SYMLINK_DIR_CMD} ${WICKED_ROOT_DIR}/WickedEngine/shaders ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/shaders
 )
 
 set_property(SOURCE