diff --git a/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in b/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in
index 5d1e68b7114..93a92a75d0d 100644
--- a/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in
+++ b/dlls/gdi/Makefile.in
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ EXTRASUBDIRS = \
 # Special rules for 16-bit resource and spec files
 
 gdi.exe.spec.c: gdi.exe.spec version16.res
-	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -H 65520 -o $@ -M $(MODULE) -spec $(SRCDIR)/gdi.exe.spec
+	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -H 65520 -o $@ -M $(MODULE) -r version16.res --spec $(SRCDIR)/gdi.exe.spec
 
 version16.res: version16.rc
 	$(LDPATH) $(WRC) $(DIVINCL) -o $@ -w16 -m -r $(SRCDIR)/version16.rc
diff --git a/dlls/gdi/gdi.exe.spec b/dlls/gdi/gdi.exe.spec
index a4628c2db5b..f15d836b6d8 100644
--- a/dlls/gdi/gdi.exe.spec
+++ b/dlls/gdi/gdi.exe.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-rsrc	version16.res
-
 1   pascal   SetBkColor(word long) SetBkColor16
 2   pascal16 SetBkMode(word word) SetBkMode16
 3   pascal16 SetMapMode(word word) SetMapMode16
diff --git a/dlls/kernel/Makefile.in b/dlls/kernel/Makefile.in
index e979141aff5..53c1455244c 100644
--- a/dlls/kernel/Makefile.in
+++ b/dlls/kernel/Makefile.in
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ kernel.res: $(MC_SRCS:.mc=.mc.rc)
 
 # Special rules for 16-bit resource and spec files
 
-krnl386.exe.spec.c: krnl386.exe.spec version16.res $(WINEBUILD)
-	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -N kernel -o $@ -M $(MODULE) --spec $(SRCDIR)/krnl386.exe.spec
+krnl386.exe.spec.c: krnl386.exe.spec version16.res
+	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -N kernel -o $@ -M $(MODULE) -r version16.res --spec $(SRCDIR)/krnl386.exe.spec
 
 version16.res: version16.rc
 	$(LDPATH) $(WRC) $(DIVINCL) -o $@ -w16 -m -r $(SRCDIR)/version16.rc
diff --git a/dlls/kernel/krnl386.exe.spec b/dlls/kernel/krnl386.exe.spec
index c90fd949394..0b58a0c39f6 100644
--- a/dlls/kernel/krnl386.exe.spec
+++ b/dlls/kernel/krnl386.exe.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-rsrc	version16.res
-
 # 1-207 are the basic functions, those are (with minor variations)
 # present in win31, win95 and nt351
 
diff --git a/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in b/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in
index 286b03646f9..826c21a7cef 100644
--- a/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in
+++ b/dlls/shell32/Makefile.in
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ uninstall::
 version16.res: version16.rc
 	$(LDPATH) $(WRC) $(DIVINCL) -o $@ -w16 -m -r $(SRCDIR)/version16.rc
 
-shell.spec.c: version16.res
+shell.spec.c: shell.spec version16.res
+	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -o $@ -M $(MODULE) -r version16.res --spec $(SRCDIR)/shell.spec
 
 ### Dependencies:
diff --git a/dlls/shell32/shell.spec b/dlls/shell32/shell.spec
index e2b0e54c0bd..6c53356700a 100644
--- a/dlls/shell32/shell.spec
+++ b/dlls/shell32/shell.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-rsrc	version16.res
-
   1 pascal   RegOpenKey(long str ptr) RegOpenKey16
   2 pascal   RegCreateKey(long str ptr) RegCreateKey16
   3 pascal   RegCloseKey(long) RegCloseKey16
diff --git a/dlls/user/Makefile.in b/dlls/user/Makefile.in
index eb0f4e878c6..d03aa369555 100644
--- a/dlls/user/Makefile.in
+++ b/dlls/user/Makefile.in
@@ -105,7 +105,13 @@ EXTRASUBDIRS = \
 # Special rules for 16-bit resource and spec files
 
 user.exe.spec.c: user.exe.spec resources/version16.res
-	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -H 65520 -o $@ -M $(MODULE) --spec $(SRCDIR)/user.exe.spec
+	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -H 65520 -o $@ -M $(MODULE) -r resources/version16.res --spec $(SRCDIR)/user.exe.spec
+
+display.spec.c: display.spec resources/display.res
+	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -o $@ -M $(MODULE) -r resources/display.res --spec $(SRCDIR)/display.spec
+
+mouse.spec.c: mouse.spec resources/mouse.res
+	$(LDPATH) $(WINEBUILD) $(DEFS) -o $@ -M $(MODULE) -r resources/mouse.res --spec $(SRCDIR)/mouse.spec
 
 resources/display.res: resources/display.rc
 	$(LDPATH) $(WRC) $(DIVINCL) -o $@ -w16 -m -r $(SRCDIR)/resources/display.rc
@@ -116,8 +122,4 @@ resources/mouse.res: resources/mouse.rc
 resources/version16.res: resources/version16.rc
 	$(LDPATH) $(WRC) $(DIVINCL) -o $@ -w16 -m -r $(SRCDIR)/resources/version16.rc
 
-display.spec.c: resources/display.res
-
-mouse.spec.c: resources/mouse.res
-
 ### Dependencies:
diff --git a/dlls/user/display.spec b/dlls/user/display.spec
index 9e0f926352d..4e8792a2583 100644
--- a/dlls/user/display.spec
+++ b/dlls/user/display.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-rsrc	resources/display.res
-
 1   stub BitBlt
 2   stub ColorInfo
 3   stub Control
diff --git a/dlls/user/mouse.spec b/dlls/user/mouse.spec
index c028a7a053e..9c4997948f8 100644
--- a/dlls/user/mouse.spec
+++ b/dlls/user/mouse.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-rsrc	resources/mouse.res
-
 1 pascal16 Inquire(ptr) MOUSE_Inquire
 2 pascal16 Enable(segptr) MOUSE_Enable
 3 pascal16 Disable() MOUSE_Disable
diff --git a/dlls/user/user.exe.spec b/dlls/user/user.exe.spec
index bf533e5344e..4c57d2cee13 100644
--- a/dlls/user/user.exe.spec
+++ b/dlls/user/user.exe.spec
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-rsrc	resources/version16.res
-
 1   pascal16 MessageBox(word str str word) MessageBox16
 2   stub OldExitWindows
 3   stub EnableOEMLayer
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/build.h b/tools/winebuild/build.h
index ab52cec48bc..d7785f16f19 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/build.h
+++ b/tools/winebuild/build.h
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ extern void BuildSpec16File( FILE *outfile );
 extern void BuildSpec32File( FILE *outfile );
 extern void BuildDef32File( FILE *outfile );
 extern void BuildDebugFile( FILE *outfile, const char *srcdir, char **argv );
-extern SPEC_TYPE ParseTopLevel( FILE *file, int def_only );
+extern void ParseTopLevel( FILE *file );
 
 /* global variables */
 
@@ -196,5 +196,6 @@ extern ORDDEF *EntryPoints[MAX_ORDINALS];
 extern ORDDEF *Ordinals[MAX_ORDINALS];
 extern ORDDEF *Names[MAX_ORDINALS];
 extern SPEC_MODE SpecMode;
+extern SPEC_TYPE SpecType;
 
 #endif  /* __WINE_BUILD_H */
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/main.c b/tools/winebuild/main.c
index e5733632335..9dcd7df73f7 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/main.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/main.c
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ ORDDEF *Ordinals[MAX_ORDINALS];
 ORDDEF *Names[MAX_ORDINALS];
 
 SPEC_MODE SpecMode = SPEC_MODE_DLL;
+SPEC_TYPE SpecType = SPEC_WIN32;
+
 int Base = MAX_ORDINALS;
 int Limit = 0;
 int DLLHeapSize = 0;
@@ -69,6 +71,8 @@ const char *output_file_name = NULL;
 static FILE *input_file;
 static FILE *output_file;
 static const char *current_src_dir;
+static int nb_res_files;
+static char **res_files;
 
 /* execution mode */
 static enum
@@ -285,6 +289,7 @@ static void do_exe_mode( const char *arg )
 static void do_module( const char *arg )
 {
     strcpy( owner_name, arg );
+    SpecType = SPEC_WIN16;
 }
 
 static void do_glue(void)
@@ -334,7 +339,8 @@ static void do_dimport( const char *arg )
 
 static void do_rsrc( const char *arg )
 {
-    load_res32_file( arg );
+    res_files = xrealloc( res_files, (nb_res_files+1) * sizeof(*res_files) );
+    res_files[nb_res_files++] = xstrdup( arg );
 }
 
 /* parse options from the argv array and remove all the recognized ones */
@@ -387,6 +393,22 @@ static void parse_options( char *argv[] )
 }
 
 
+/* load all specified resource files */
+static void load_resources(void)
+{
+    int i;
+
+    switch (SpecType)
+    {
+    case SPEC_WIN16:
+        for (i = 0; i < nb_res_files; i++) load_res16_file( res_files[i] );
+        break;
+    case SPEC_WIN32:
+        for (i = 0; i < nb_res_files; i++) load_res32_file( res_files[i] );
+        break;
+    }
+}
+
 /*******************************************************************
  *         main
  */
@@ -398,7 +420,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     switch(exec_mode)
     {
     case MODE_SPEC:
-        switch (ParseTopLevel( input_file, 0 ))
+        load_resources();
+        ParseTopLevel( input_file );
+        switch (SpecType)
         {
             case SPEC_WIN16:
                 if (argv[1])
@@ -413,21 +437,17 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         }
         break;
     case MODE_EXE:
+        if (SpecType == SPEC_WIN16) fatal_error( "Cannot build 16-bit exe files\n" );
+        load_resources();
         read_undef_symbols( argv + 1 );
         BuildSpec32File( output_file );
         break;
     case MODE_DEF:
         if (argv[1]) fatal_error( "file argument '%s' not allowed in this mode\n", argv[1] );
-        switch (ParseTopLevel( input_file, 1 ))
-        {
-            case SPEC_WIN16:
-                fatal_error( "Cannot yet build .def file for 16-bit dlls\n" );
-                break;
-            case SPEC_WIN32:
-                BuildDef32File( output_file );
-                break;
-            default: assert(0);
-        }
+        if (SpecType == SPEC_WIN16) fatal_error( "Cannot yet build .def file for 16-bit dlls\n" );
+        load_resources();
+        ParseTopLevel( input_file );
+        BuildDef32File( output_file );
         break;
     case MODE_DEBUG:
         BuildDebugFile( output_file, current_src_dir, argv + 1 );
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/parser.c b/tools/winebuild/parser.c
index 325f37c891f..44690dfcdd1 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/parser.c
+++ b/tools/winebuild/parser.c
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@
 
 int current_line = 0;
 
-static SPEC_TYPE SpecType = SPEC_WIN32;
-
 static char ParseBuffer[512];
 static char TokenBuffer[512];
 static char *ParseNext = ParseBuffer;
@@ -494,26 +492,16 @@ static void sort_names(void)
  *
  * Parse a spec file.
  */
-SPEC_TYPE ParseTopLevel( FILE *file, int def_only )
+void ParseTopLevel( FILE *file )
 {
     const char *token;
 
     input_file = file;
     current_line = 0;
-    if (owner_name[0]) SpecType = SPEC_WIN16;
 
     while ((token = GetToken(1)) != NULL)
     {
-        if (strcmp(token, "rsrc") == 0)
-        {
-            if (!def_only)
-            {
-                if (SpecType != SPEC_WIN16) load_res32_file( GetToken(0) );
-                else load_res16_file( GetToken(0) );
-            }
-            else GetToken(0);  /* skip it */
-        }
-        else if (strcmp(token, "ignore") == 0)
+        if (strcmp(token, "ignore") == 0)
         {
             if (SpecType != SPEC_WIN32)
                 fatal_error( "'ignore' only supported for Win32 spec files\n" );
@@ -533,12 +521,8 @@ SPEC_TYPE ParseTopLevel( FILE *file, int def_only )
             fatal_error( "Expected ordinal declaration\n" );
     }
 
-    if (SpecType == SPEC_WIN16 && !owner_name[0])
-        fatal_error( "'owner' not specified for Win16 dll\n" );
-
     current_line = 0;  /* no longer parsing the input file */
     sort_names();
-    return SpecType;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in b/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in
index af7a03a3a36..bebf686a791 100644
--- a/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in
+++ b/tools/winebuild/winebuild.man.in
@@ -167,8 +167,6 @@ Turn on warnings.
 A spec file should contain a number of optional directives, and then a
 list of ordinal declarations. The general syntax is the following:
 .PP
-.RB [ rsrc\  \fIresfile\fR]
-.br
 .RB [ ignore\ (\  [ \fIsymbols...\fR ]\  )\  ]
 .br
 .BI #\  comments
@@ -191,9 +189,6 @@ list of ordinal declarations. The general syntax is the following:
 .IB ordinal\  forward
 .RI [ flags ]\  exportname\ forwardname
 .SS "Optional directives"
-.B rsrc
-specifies the path of the compiled resource file.
-.PP
 .B ignore
 specifies a list of symbols that should be ignored when
 resolving undefined symbols against the imported libraries.