diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cad0e3e5f..6c0e45ebc 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -489,10 +489,6 @@ add_library(freetype
   ${BASE_SRCS}
 )
 
-set_target_properties(
-  freetype PROPERTIES
-    C_VISIBILITY_PRESET hidden)
-
 target_compile_definitions(
   freetype PRIVATE FT2_BUILD_LIBRARY)
 
@@ -503,6 +499,10 @@ if (WIN32)
     target_compile_definitions(
       freetype PRIVATE DLL_EXPORT)
   endif ()
+else ()
+  # Windows handles exports with DLL_EXPORT defined above.
+  set_target_properties(freetype PROPERTIES
+    C_VISIBILITY_PRESET hidden)
 endif ()
 
 if (BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
diff --git a/builds/unix/configure.raw b/builds/unix/configure.raw
index f18c8a0c4..898e617c4 100644
--- a/builds/unix/configure.raw
+++ b/builds/unix/configure.raw
@@ -239,12 +239,24 @@ AC_SUBST([XX_ANSIFLAGS])
 found_visibility_flag=no
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for -fvisibility=hidden compiler flag])
 orig_CFLAGS="${CFLAGS}"
-CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fvisibility=hidden"
-AC_LINK_IFELSE([AC_LANG_PROGRAM([], [])],
-               [found_visibility_flag=yes
-                AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)],
-               [CFLAGS="${orig_CFLAGS}"
-                AC_MSG_RESULT(no)])
+CFLAGS="${CFLAGS} -fvisibility=hidden -Werror"
+AC_COMPILE_IFELSE([
+  AC_LANG_PROGRAM([
+
+__attribute__(( visibility( "default" ) )) int foo( void );
+__attribute__(( visibility( "hidden" ) )) int bar( void );
+
+int foo( void ) { return 0; }
+int bar( void ) { return 1; }
+
+    ],
+    [])],
+  [found_visibility_flag=yes
+   CFLAGS="${orig_CFLAGS} -fvisibility=hidden"
+   AC_MSG_RESULT(yes)
+  ],
+  [CFLAGS="${orig_CFLAGS}"
+   AC_MSG_RESULT(no)])
 
 if test "${found_visibility_flag}" = "no"; then
   AC_MSG_CHECKING([for -xldscope=hidden compiler flag])