diff --git a/Modules/Platform/Windows-Intel.cmake b/Modules/Platform/Windows-Intel.cmake
index 3a30a2e0c..58da8c56d 100644
--- a/Modules/Platform/Windows-Intel.cmake
+++ b/Modules/Platform/Windows-Intel.cmake
@@ -89,8 +89,9 @@ macro(__windows_compiler_intel lang)
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_CREATE_SHARED_LIBRARY
     "xilink ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO} ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE}  /out:<TARGET> /implib:<TARGET_IMPLIB> /pdb:<TARGET_PDB> /dll  <LINK_FLAGS> <OBJECTS> <LINK_LIBRARIES> ${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_CREATE_SHARED_MODULE "${CMAKE_${lang}_CREATE_SHARED_LIBRARY}")
+  set(CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER_LINKER_OPTION_FLAG_EXECUTABLE "/link")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_LINK_EXECUTABLE
-    "<CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER> ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO} ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE} <FLAGS> <OBJECTS> /Fe<TARGET> -link /implib:<TARGET_IMPLIB> <CMAKE_${lang}_LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_LIBRARIES>${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
+    "<CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER> ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO} ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE} <FLAGS> /Fe<TARGET> <OBJECTS> /link /implib:<TARGET_IMPLIB> <CMAKE_${lang}_LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_LIBRARIES>${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_FLAGS_INIT "/DWIN32 /D_WINDOWS /W3 /Zm1000${_FLAGS_${lang}}")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_FLAGS_DEBUG_INIT "/D_DEBUG /MDd /Zi /Od /RTC1")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL_INIT "/DNDEBUG /MD /O1")
diff --git a/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake b/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake
index cc48cfe29..1f28c503b 100644
--- a/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake
+++ b/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake
@@ -228,9 +228,10 @@ macro(__windows_compiler_msvc lang)
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_CREATE_ASSEMBLY_SOURCE
     "<CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER> ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE} ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO}${_COMPILE_${lang}} <FLAGS> <DEFINES> /FoNUL /FAs /Fa<ASSEMBLY_SOURCE> /c <SOURCE>${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
 
+  set(CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER_LINKER_OPTION_FLAG_EXECUTABLE "/link")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_USE_RESPONSE_FILE_FOR_OBJECTS 1)
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_LINK_EXECUTABLE
-    "${_CMAKE_VS_LINK_EXE}<CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER> ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO} <OBJECTS> ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE} <FLAGS> /Fe<TARGET> /Fd<TARGET_PDB> -link /implib:<TARGET_IMPLIB> /version:<TARGET_VERSION_MAJOR>.<TARGET_VERSION_MINOR> <CMAKE_${lang}_LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_LIBRARIES>${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
+    "${_CMAKE_VS_LINK_EXE}<CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER> ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO} ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE} <FLAGS> /Fe<TARGET> /Fd<TARGET_PDB> <OBJECTS> /link /implib:<TARGET_IMPLIB> /version:<TARGET_VERSION_MAJOR>.<TARGET_VERSION_MINOR> <CMAKE_${lang}_LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_LIBRARIES>${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
 
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_FLAGS_INIT "${_PLATFORM_DEFINES}${_PLATFORM_DEFINES_${lang}} /D_WINDOWS /W3 /Zm1000${_FLAGS_${lang}}")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_FLAGS_DEBUG_INIT "/D_DEBUG /MDd /Zi /Ob0 /Od ${_RTC1}")
diff --git a/Modules/Platform/Windows-df.cmake b/Modules/Platform/Windows-df.cmake
index 9a87be177..7e2ac9fe4 100644
--- a/Modules/Platform/Windows-df.cmake
+++ b/Modules/Platform/Windows-df.cmake
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@ set(CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILE_OBJECT
 
 set(CMAKE_COMPILE_RESOURCE "rc <FLAGS> /fo<OBJECT> <SOURCE>")
 
+set(CMAKE_${lang}_COMPILER_LINKER_OPTION_FLAG_EXECUTABLE "/link")
 set(CMAKE_Fortran_LINK_EXECUTABLE
-    "<CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER> ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO} ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE} <FLAGS> <OBJECTS> /exe:<TARGET> /link <CMAKE_Fortran_LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_LIBRARIES>${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
+    "<CMAKE_Fortran_COMPILER> ${CMAKE_CL_NOLOGO} ${CMAKE_START_TEMP_FILE} <FLAGS> /exe:<TARGET> <OBJECTS> /link <CMAKE_Fortran_LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_FLAGS> <LINK_LIBRARIES>${CMAKE_END_TEMP_FILE}")
 
 set(CMAKE_CREATE_WIN32_EXE /winapp)
 set(CMAKE_CREATE_CONSOLE_EXE )
diff --git a/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx
index 949065852..d42d7f62a 100644
--- a/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -168,11 +168,13 @@ cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator
     std::string responseFlag;
     if (!useResponseFile) {
       vars.Objects = "$in";
-      vars.LinkLibraries = "$LINK_LIBRARIES";
+      vars.LinkLibraries = "$LINK_PATH $LINK_LIBRARIES";
     } else {
-        // handle response file
-        std::string cmakeLinkVar = std::string("CMAKE_") +
-                        this->TargetLinkLanguage + "_RESPONSE_FILE_LINK_FLAG";
+        std::string cmakeVarLang = "CMAKE_";
+        cmakeVarLang += this->TargetLinkLanguage;
+
+        // build response file name
+        std::string cmakeLinkVar =  cmakeVarLang + "_RESPONSE_FILE_LINK_FLAG";
         const char * flag = GetMakefile()->GetDefinition(cmakeLinkVar.c_str());
         if(flag) {
           responseFlag = flag;
@@ -181,7 +183,14 @@ cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator
         }
         rspfile = "$RSP_FILE";
         responseFlag += rspfile;
-        rspcontent = "$in $LINK_LIBRARIES";
+
+        // build response file content
+        std::string linkOptionVar = cmakeVarLang;
+        linkOptionVar += "_COMPILER_LINKER_OPTION_FLAG_";
+        linkOptionVar += cmTarget::GetTargetTypeName(targetType);
+        const std::string linkOption =
+                GetMakefile()->GetSafeDefinition(linkOptionVar.c_str());
+        rspcontent = "$in " + linkOption + " $LINK_PATH $LINK_LIBRARIES";
         vars.Objects = responseFlag.c_str();
         vars.LinkLibraries = "";
     }
@@ -430,7 +439,7 @@ void cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator::WriteLinkStatement()
                                             this->GetGeneratorTarget());
 
   this->AddModuleDefinitionFlag(vars["LINK_FLAGS"]);
-  vars["LINK_FLAGS"] += frameworkPath + linkPath;
+  vars["LINK_PATH"] = frameworkPath + linkPath;
 
   // Compute architecture specific link flags.  Yes, these go into a different
   // variable for executables, probably due to a mistake made when duplicating
@@ -544,15 +553,20 @@ void cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator::WriteLinkStatement()
 
   int linkRuleLength = this->GetGlobalGenerator()->
                                  GetRuleCmdLength(this->LanguageLinkerRule());
+
+  int commandLineLengthLimit;
+  if (this->GetMakefile()->IsDefinitionSet("CMAKE_FORCE_RESPONSE_FILE")) {
+    commandLineLengthLimit = 1;
+  } else {
 #ifdef _WIN32
-  int commandLineLengthLimit = 8000 - linkRuleLength;
+    commandLineLengthLimit = 8000 - linkRuleLength;
 #elif defined(__linux) || defined(__APPLE__)
-  // for instance ARG_MAX is 2096152 on Ubuntu or 262144 on Mac
-  int commandLineLengthLimit = ((int)sysconf(_SC_ARG_MAX))
-                                    - linkRuleLength - 1000;
+    // for instance ARG_MAX is 2096152 on Ubuntu or 262144 on Mac
+    commandLineLengthLimit = ((int)sysconf(_SC_ARG_MAX))-linkRuleLength-1000;
 #else
-  int commandLineLengthLimit = -1;
+    commandLineLengthLimit = -1;
 #endif
+  }
 
   const std::string rspfile = std::string
                               (cmake::GetCMakeFilesDirectoryPostSlash()) +