diff --git a/Modules/Platform/CYGWIN-GNU.cmake b/Modules/Platform/CYGWIN-GNU.cmake
index 3144ac483..1a46c1031 100644
--- a/Modules/Platform/CYGWIN-GNU.cmake
+++ b/Modules/Platform/CYGWIN-GNU.cmake
@@ -53,5 +53,9 @@ macro(__cygwin_compiler_gnu lang)
   set(CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_CREATE_${lang}_FLAGS "${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_CREATE_${lang}_FLAGS} -Wl,--enable-auto-import")
   set(CMAKE_SHARED_MODULE_CREATE_${lang}_FLAGS "${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_CREATE_${lang}_FLAGS}")
 
+  if(NOT CMAKE_RC_COMPILER_INIT)
+    set(CMAKE_RC_COMPILER_INIT windres)
+  endif()
+
   enable_language(RC)
 endmacro()
diff --git a/Modules/Platform/Windows-GNU.cmake b/Modules/Platform/Windows-GNU.cmake
index c827c325e..c0d7d8cd8 100644
--- a/Modules/Platform/Windows-GNU.cmake
+++ b/Modules/Platform/Windows-GNU.cmake
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@ macro(__windows_compiler_gnu lang)
     endforeach()
   endif()
 
+  if(NOT CMAKE_RC_COMPILER_INIT)
+    set(CMAKE_RC_COMPILER_INIT windres)
+  endif()
+
   enable_language(RC)
 endmacro()
 
diff --git a/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake b/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake
index 2905ceeac..13fe8bc9c 100644
--- a/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake
+++ b/Modules/Platform/Windows-MSVC.cmake
@@ -298,6 +298,9 @@ macro(__windows_compiler_msvc lang)
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL_INIT "/MD /O1 /Ob1 /D NDEBUG")
   set(CMAKE_${lang}_LINKER_SUPPORTS_PDB ON)
 
+  if(NOT CMAKE_RC_COMPILER_INIT)
+    set(CMAKE_RC_COMPILER_INIT rc)
+  endif()
   if(NOT CMAKE_RC_FLAGS_INIT)
     set(CMAKE_RC_FLAGS_INIT "${_PLATFORM_DEFINES} ${_PLATFORM_DEFINES_${lang}}")
   endif()
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
index 1c905377c..746be4d9a 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.cxx
@@ -2420,38 +2420,6 @@ bool cmGlobalGenerator::UseFolderProperty()
   return false;
 }
 
-//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-void cmGlobalGenerator::EnableMinGWLanguage(cmMakefile *mf)
-{
-  this->FindMakeProgram(mf);
-  std::string makeProgram = mf->GetRequiredDefinition("CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM");
-  std::vector<std::string> locations;
-  locations.push_back(cmSystemTools::GetProgramPath(makeProgram));
-  locations.push_back("/mingw/bin");
-  locations.push_back("c:/mingw/bin");
-  std::string tgcc = cmSystemTools::FindProgram("gcc", locations);
-  std::string gcc = "gcc.exe";
-  if(!tgcc.empty())
-    {
-    gcc = tgcc;
-    }
-  std::string tgxx = cmSystemTools::FindProgram("g++", locations);
-  std::string gxx = "g++.exe";
-  if(!tgxx.empty())
-    {
-    gxx = tgxx;
-    }
-  std::string trc = cmSystemTools::FindProgram("windres", locations);
-  std::string rc = "windres.exe";
-  if(!trc.empty())
-    {
-    rc = trc;
-    }
-  mf->AddDefinition("CMAKE_GENERATOR_CC", gcc.c_str());
-  mf->AddDefinition("CMAKE_GENERATOR_CXX", gxx.c_str());
-  mf->AddDefinition("CMAKE_GENERATOR_RC", rc.c_str());
-}
-
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 cmTarget cmGlobalGenerator::CreateGlobalTarget(
   const std::string& name, const char* message,
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
index 710719894..22ba2889c 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalGenerator.h
@@ -433,7 +433,6 @@ protected:
 
   virtual const char* GetPredefinedTargetsFolder();
   virtual bool UseFolderProperty();
-  void EnableMinGWLanguage(cmMakefile *mf);
 
 private:
   cmMakefile* TryCompileOuterMakefile;
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalMinGWMakefileGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalMinGWMakefileGenerator.cxx
index c9389aac4..b1288709f 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalMinGWMakefileGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalMinGWMakefileGenerator.cxx
@@ -26,7 +26,33 @@ void cmGlobalMinGWMakefileGenerator
                  cmMakefile *mf,
                  bool optional)
 {
-  this->EnableMinGWLanguage(mf);
+  this->FindMakeProgram(mf);
+  std::string makeProgram = mf->GetRequiredDefinition("CMAKE_MAKE_PROGRAM");
+  std::vector<std::string> locations;
+  locations.push_back(cmSystemTools::GetProgramPath(makeProgram));
+  locations.push_back("/mingw/bin");
+  locations.push_back("c:/mingw/bin");
+  std::string tgcc = cmSystemTools::FindProgram("gcc", locations);
+  std::string gcc = "gcc.exe";
+  if(!tgcc.empty())
+    {
+    gcc = tgcc;
+    }
+  std::string tgxx = cmSystemTools::FindProgram("g++", locations);
+  std::string gxx = "g++.exe";
+  if(!tgxx.empty())
+    {
+    gxx = tgxx;
+    }
+  std::string trc = cmSystemTools::FindProgram("windres", locations);
+  std::string rc = "windres.exe";
+  if(!trc.empty())
+    {
+    rc = trc;
+    }
+  mf->AddDefinition("CMAKE_GENERATOR_CC", gcc.c_str());
+  mf->AddDefinition("CMAKE_GENERATOR_CXX", gxx.c_str());
+  mf->AddDefinition("CMAKE_GENERATOR_RC", rc.c_str());
   this->cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3::EnableLanguage(l, mf, optional);
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
index 678d60b21..65e80e41a 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.cxx
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ std::string cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::EncodePath(const std::string &path)
 {
   std::string result = path;
 #ifdef _WIN32
-  if(UsingMinGW)
+  if (this->IsGCCOnWindows())
     cmSystemTools::ReplaceString(result, "\\", "/");
   else
     cmSystemTools::ReplaceString(result, "/", "\\");
@@ -484,6 +484,7 @@ cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::cmGlobalNinjaGenerator()
   , CompileCommandsStream(0)
   , Rules()
   , AllDependencies()
+  , UsingGCCOnWindows(false)
   , ComputingUnknownDependencies(false)
   , PolicyCMP0058(cmPolicies::WARN)
 {
@@ -544,24 +545,16 @@ void cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::Generate()
   this->CloseBuildFileStream();
 }
 
-// Implemented in all cmGlobaleGenerator sub-classes.
-// Used in:
-//   Source/cmMakefile.cxx:
 void cmGlobalNinjaGenerator
 ::EnableLanguage(std::vector<std::string>const& langs,
-                 cmMakefile* makefile,
+                 cmMakefile* mf,
                  bool optional)
 {
-  if (makefile->IsOn("CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_MINGW"))
-    {
-    UsingMinGW = true;
-    this->EnableMinGWLanguage(makefile);
-    }
   if (std::find(langs.begin(), langs.end(), "Fortran") != langs.end())
     {
     cmSystemTools::Error("The Ninja generator does not support Fortran yet.");
     }
-  this->cmGlobalGenerator::EnableLanguage(langs, makefile, optional);
+  this->cmGlobalGenerator::EnableLanguage(langs, mf, optional);
   for(std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator l = langs.begin();
       l != langs.end(); ++l)
     {
@@ -569,12 +562,20 @@ void cmGlobalNinjaGenerator
       {
       continue;
       }
-    this->ResolveLanguageCompiler(*l, makefile, optional);
+    this->ResolveLanguageCompiler(*l, mf, optional);
     }
+#ifdef _WIN32
+  if (mf->IsOn("CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_MINGW") ||
+      strcmp(mf->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID"), "GNU") == 0 ||
+      strcmp(mf->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID"), "GNU") == 0 ||
+      strcmp(mf->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_C_SIMULATE_ID"), "GNU") == 0 ||
+      strcmp(mf->GetSafeDefinition("CMAKE_CXX_SIMULATE_ID"), "GNU") == 0)
+    {
+    this->UsingGCCOnWindows = true;
+    }
+#endif
 }
 
-bool cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::UsingMinGW = false;
-
 // Implemented by:
 //   cmGlobalUnixMakefileGenerator3
 //   cmGlobalGhsMultiGenerator
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
index d7b3adddc..00dc237bd 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalNinjaGenerator.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public:
 
   static std::string EncodeIdent(const std::string &ident, std::ostream &vars);
   static std::string EncodeLiteral(const std::string &lit);
-  static std::string EncodePath(const std::string &path);
+  std::string EncodePath(const std::string &path);
   static std::string EncodeDepfileSpace(const std::string &path);
 
   /**
@@ -155,9 +155,7 @@ public:
                            const cmNinjaDeps& targets,
                            const std::string& comment = "");
 
-
-  static bool IsMinGW() { return UsingMinGW; }
-
+  bool IsGCCOnWindows() const { return UsingGCCOnWindows; }
 
 public:
   /// Default constructor.
@@ -362,6 +360,8 @@ private:
   /// The set of dependencies to add to the "all" target.
   cmNinjaDeps AllDependencies;
 
+  bool UsingGCCOnWindows;
+
   /// The set of custom commands we have seen.
   std::set<cmCustomCommand const*> CustomCommands;
 
@@ -385,9 +385,6 @@ private:
 
   typedef std::map<std::string, cmTarget*> TargetAliasMap;
   TargetAliasMap TargetAliases;
-
-  static bool UsingMinGW;
-
 };
 
 #endif // ! cmGlobalNinjaGenerator_h
diff --git a/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx
index 155a30e44..4c51d2333 100644
--- a/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -202,7 +202,12 @@ cmNinjaNormalTargetGenerator
         responseFlag += rspfile;
 
         // build response file content
-        rspcontent = "$in_newline $LINK_PATH $LINK_LIBRARIES";
+        if (this->GetGlobalGenerator()->IsGCCOnWindows()) {
+          rspcontent = "$in";
+        } else {
+          rspcontent = "$in_newline";
+        }
+        rspcontent += " $LINK_PATH $LINK_LIBRARIES";
         vars.Objects = responseFlag.c_str();
         vars.LinkLibraries = "";
     }
diff --git a/Source/cmNinjaTargetGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmNinjaTargetGenerator.cxx
index dfd3c04e4..128a35be9 100644
--- a/Source/cmNinjaTargetGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmNinjaTargetGenerator.cxx
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ cmNinjaTargetGenerator::ComputeFlagsForObject(cmSourceFile const* source,
                                         // needed by cmcldeps
                                             false,
                                             this->GetConfigName());
-    if(cmGlobalNinjaGenerator::IsMinGW())
+    if (this->GetGlobalGenerator()->IsGCCOnWindows())
       cmSystemTools::ReplaceString(includeFlags, "\\", "/");
 
     this->LocalGenerator->AppendFlags(languageFlags, includeFlags);