diff --git a/Foundation/src/File_WIN32.cpp b/Foundation/src/File_WIN32.cpp
index 355fd16ce..b7362a813 100644
--- a/Foundation/src/File_WIN32.cpp
+++ b/Foundation/src/File_WIN32.cpp
@@ -317,8 +317,18 @@ void FileImpl::linkToImpl(const std::string& path, int type) const
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		if (CreateSymbolicLinkA(path.c_str(), _path.c_str(), (isDirectoryImpl() ? SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_DIRECTORY : 0) | SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE) == 0)
+#if _WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0600 && defined(SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_DIRECTORY)
+		DWORD flags = 0;
+		if (isDirectoryImpl()) flags |= SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_DIRECTORY;
+#ifdef SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE
+		flags |= SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE;
+#endif
+		if (CreateSymbolicLinkA(path.c_str(), _path.c_str(), flags) == 0)
 			handleLastErrorImpl(_path);
+#else
+		throw Poco::NotImplementedException("Symbolic link support not available in used version of the Windows SDK")
+#endif
+
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/Foundation/src/File_WIN32U.cpp b/Foundation/src/File_WIN32U.cpp
index 39b2ec2a3..28ff085d8 100644
--- a/Foundation/src/File_WIN32U.cpp
+++ b/Foundation/src/File_WIN32U.cpp
@@ -327,8 +327,17 @@ void FileImpl::linkToImpl(const std::string& path, int type) const
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		if (CreateSymbolicLinkW(upath.c_str(), _upath.c_str(), (isDirectoryImpl() ? SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_DIRECTORY : 0) | SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE) == 0)
+#if _WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0600 && defined(SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_DIRECTORY)
+		DWORD flags = 0;
+		if (isDirectoryImpl()) flags |= SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_DIRECTORY;
+#ifdef SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE
+		flags |= SYMBOLIC_LINK_FLAG_ALLOW_UNPRIVILEGED_CREATE;
+#endif
+		if (CreateSymbolicLinkW(upath.c_str(), _upath.c_str(), flags) == 0)
 			handleLastErrorImpl(_path);
+#else
+		throw Poco::NotImplementedException("Symbolic link support not available in used version of the Windows SDK");
+#endif
 	}
 }