diff --git a/tools/winebuild/main.c b/tools/winebuild/main.c
index ae7904d25af..3dd4fea109b 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/main.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/main.c
@@ -657,7 +657,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         break;
     case MODE_DEF:
         if (argv[0]) fatal_error( "file argument '%s' not allowed in this mode\n", argv[0] );
-        if (spec->type == SPEC_WIN16) fatal_error( "Cannot yet build .def file for 16-bit dlls\n" );
         if (!spec_file_name) fatal_error( "missing .spec file\n" );
         if (!parse_input_file( spec )) break;
         BuildDef32File( spec );
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/parser.c b/tools/winebuild/parser.c
index d08a1900e5a..f48471c8c50 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/parser.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/parser.c
@@ -744,6 +744,13 @@ void add_16bit_exports( DLLSPEC *spec32, DLLSPEC *spec16 )
     int i;
     ORDDEF *odp;
 
+    spec32->file_name = xstrdup( spec16->file_name );
+    if (spec16->characteristics & IMAGE_FILE_DLL)
+    {
+        spec32->characteristics = IMAGE_FILE_DLL;
+        spec32->init_func = xstrdup( "__wine_spec_dll_entry" );
+    }
+
     /* add an export for the NE module */
 
     odp = add_entry_point( spec32 );
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/spec16.c b/tools/winebuild/spec16.c
index abc090d3fbb..c06b4a1932b 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/spec16.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/spec16.c
@@ -860,14 +860,6 @@ void output_spec16_file( DLLSPEC *spec16 )
 {
     DLLSPEC *spec32 = alloc_dll_spec();
 
-    spec32->file_name = xstrdup( spec16->file_name );
-
-    if (spec16->characteristics & IMAGE_FILE_DLL)
-    {
-        spec32->characteristics = IMAGE_FILE_DLL;
-        spec32->init_func = xstrdup( "__wine_spec_dll_entry" );
-    }
-
     resolve_imports( spec16 );
     add_16bit_exports( spec32, spec16 );
 
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/spec32.c b/tools/winebuild/spec32.c
index c2b11af8474..08703a234df 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/spec32.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/spec32.c
@@ -768,9 +768,17 @@ void output_fake_module( DLLSPEC *spec )
  */
 void BuildDef32File( DLLSPEC *spec )
 {
+    DLLSPEC *spec32 = NULL;
     const char *name;
     int i, total;
 
+    if (spec->type == SPEC_WIN16)
+    {
+        spec32 = alloc_dll_spec();
+        add_16bit_exports( spec32, spec );
+        spec = spec32;
+    }
+
     if (spec_file_name)
         output( "; File generated automatically from %s; do not edit!\n\n",
                  spec_file_name );
@@ -835,4 +843,5 @@ void BuildDef32File( DLLSPEC *spec )
         output( "\n" );
     }
     if (!total) warning( "%s: Import library doesn't export anything\n", spec->file_name );
+    if (spec32) free_dll_spec( spec32 );
 }