diff --git a/tools/winebuild/parser.c b/tools/winebuild/parser.c
index 4ba650673dc..37a18248c81 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/parser.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/parser.c
@@ -136,8 +136,12 @@ static void ParseVariable( ORDDEF *odp )
     int *value_array;
     int n_values;
     int value_array_size;
+    const char *token;
 
-    const char *token = GetToken(0);
+    if (SpecType == SPEC_WIN32)
+        fatal_error( "'variable' not supported in Win32, use 'extern' instead\n" );
+
+    token = GetToken(0);
     if (*token != '(') fatal_error( "Expected '(' got '%s'\n", token );
 
     n_values = 0;
@@ -290,8 +294,10 @@ static void ParseStub( ORDDEF *odp )
  */
 static void ParseExtern( ORDDEF *odp )
 {
-    if (SpecType == SPEC_WIN16) fatal_error( "'extern' not supported for Win16\n" );
+    if (SpecType == SPEC_WIN16)
+        fatal_error( "'extern' not supported for Win16, use 'variable' instead\n" );
     odp->link_name = xstrdup( GetToken(0) );
+    if (strchr( odp->link_name, '.' )) odp->flags |= FLAG_FORWARD;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/spec32.c b/tools/winebuild/spec32.c
index 444603acc48..6c7228ad6b6 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/spec32.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/spec32.c
@@ -168,8 +168,12 @@ static int output_exports( FILE *outfile, int nr_exports )
         else switch(odp->type)
         {
         case TYPE_EXTERN:
-            fprintf( outfile, "    \"\\t.long " __ASM_NAME("%s") "\\n\"\n", odp->link_name );
-            break;
+            if (!(odp->flags & FLAG_FORWARD))
+            {
+                fprintf( outfile, "    \"\\t.long " __ASM_NAME("%s") "\\n\"\n", odp->link_name );
+                break;
+            }
+            /* else fall through */
         case TYPE_STDCALL:
         case TYPE_VARARGS:
         case TYPE_CDECL:
@@ -187,9 +191,6 @@ static int output_exports( FILE *outfile, int nr_exports )
         case TYPE_STUB:
             fprintf( outfile, "    \"\\t.long " __ASM_NAME("%s") "\\n\"\n", make_internal_name( odp, "stub" ) );
             break;
-        case TYPE_VARIABLE:
-            fprintf( outfile, "    \"\\t.long " __ASM_NAME("%s") "\\n\"\n", make_internal_name( odp, "var" ) );
-            break;
         default:
             assert(0);
         }
@@ -299,25 +300,6 @@ static int output_exports( FILE *outfile, int nr_exports )
         }
     }
 
-    /* output variables */
-
-    for (i = 0; i < nb_entry_points; i++)
-    {
-        ORDDEF *odp = EntryPoints[i];
-        if (odp->type == TYPE_VARIABLE)
-        {
-            int j;
-            fprintf( outfile, "    \"%s:\\n\"\n", make_internal_name( odp, "var" ) );
-            fprintf( outfile, "    \"\\t.long " );
-            for (j = 0; j < odp->u.var.n_values; j++)
-            {
-                fprintf( outfile, "0x%08x", odp->u.var.values[j] );
-                if (j < odp->u.var.n_values-1) fputc( ',', outfile );
-            }
-            fprintf( outfile, "\\n\"\n" );
-        }
-    }
-
     fprintf( outfile, "    \"\\t.text\\n\"\n" );
     fprintf( outfile, "    \"\\t.align %d\\n\"\n", get_alignment(4) );
     fprintf( outfile, ");\n\n" );
@@ -850,7 +832,6 @@ void BuildDef32File(FILE *outfile)
         switch(odp->type)
         {
         case TYPE_EXTERN:
-        case TYPE_VARIABLE:
             is_data = 1;
             /* fall through */
         case TYPE_VARARGS:
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in b/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in
index dbb1a9b0fbe..e317dc74436 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in
+++ b/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in
@@ -196,15 +196,15 @@ syntax is the following:
 .IB ordinal\  variable
 .RI [ flags ]\  exportname \ \fB(\fR\ [ data... ] \ \fB)
 .br
+.IB ordinal\  extern
+.RI [ flags ]\  exportname\ symbolname
+.br
 .IB ordinal\  stub
 .RI [ flags ]\  exportname
 .br
 .IB ordinal\  equate
 .RI [ flags ]\  exportname\ data
 .br
-.IB ordinal\  extern
-.RI [ flags ]\  exportname\ symbolname
-.br
 .IB ordinal\  forward
 .RI [ flags ]\  exportname\ forwardname
 .br
@@ -351,6 +351,28 @@ following example defines the variable VariableA at ordinal 2 and
 containing 4 ints:
 .IP
 2 variable VariableA(-1 0xff 0 0)
+.PP
+This declaration only works in Win16 spec files. In Win32 you should
+use
+.B extern
+instead (see below).
+.SS "Extern ordinals"
+Syntax:
+.br
+.IB ordinal\  extern
+.RI [ flags ]\  exportname\ symbolname
+.PP
+This declaration defines an entry that simply maps to a C symbol
+(variable or function). It only works in Win32 spec files.
+.I exportname
+will point to the symbol
+.I symbolname
+that must be defined in the C code. Alternatively, it can be of the
+form
+.IB dllname . symbolname
+to define a forwarded symbol (one whose implementation is in another
+dll).
+
 .SS "Stub ordinals"
 Syntax:
 .br
@@ -371,19 +393,6 @@ This declaration defines an ordinal as an absolute value.
 will be the name available for dynamic linking.
 .I data
 can be a decimal number or a hex number preceeded by "0x".
-.SS "Extern ordinals"
-Syntax:
-.br
-.IB ordinal\  extern
-.RI [ flags ]\  exportname\ symbolname
-.PP
-This declaration defines an entry that simply maps to a C symbol
-(variable or function).
-.I exportname
-will point to the symbol
-.I symbolname
-that must be defined in C code. This declaration only works in Win32
-spec files.
 .SS "Forwarded ordinals"
 Syntax:
 .br