diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index e4f8cbc3776..4b0376802d6 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1040,6 +1040,9 @@ Include the files needed for debugging python scripts with visual studio 2017+."
   option(WITH_WINDOWS_BUNDLE_CRT "Bundle the C runtime for install free distribution." ON)
   mark_as_advanced(WITH_WINDOWS_BUNDLE_CRT)
 
+  option(WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST "Use external manifest files" OFF)
+  mark_as_advanced(WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST)
+
   option(WITH_WINDOWS_SCCACHE "Use sccache to speed up builds (Ninja builder only)" OFF)
   mark_as_advanced(WITH_WINDOWS_SCCACHE)
 
diff --git a/build_files/cmake/platform/platform_win32.cmake b/build_files/cmake/platform/platform_win32.cmake
index 327c7bb655f..a7caef16913 100644
--- a/build_files/cmake/platform/platform_win32.cmake
+++ b/build_files/cmake/platform/platform_win32.cmake
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ endif()
 
 if(CMAKE_C_COMPILER_ID MATCHES "Clang")
   set(MSVC_CLANG ON)
+  if(NOT WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST AND CMAKE_GENERATOR MATCHES "Visual Studio")
+    message(WARNING "WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST is required for clang and the visual studio generator, turning ON")
+    set(WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST ON)
+  endif()
   set(VC_TOOLS_DIR $ENV{VCToolsRedistDir} CACHE STRING "Location of the msvc redistributables")
   set(MSVC_REDIST_DIR ${VC_TOOLS_DIR})
   if(DEFINED MSVC_REDIST_DIR)
@@ -87,6 +91,10 @@ string(APPEND CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " /SAFESEH:NO /ignore:4099")
 string(APPEND CMAKE_SHARED_LINKER_FLAGS " /SAFESEH:NO /ignore:4099")
 string(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_LINKER_FLAGS " /SAFESEH:NO /ignore:4099")
 
+if(WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST)
+  string(APPEND CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS " /manifest:no")
+endif()
+
 list(APPEND PLATFORM_LINKLIBS
   ws2_32 vfw32 winmm kernel32 user32 gdi32 comdlg32 Comctl32 version
   advapi32 shfolder shell32 ole32 oleaut32 uuid psapi Dbghelp Shlwapi
diff --git a/source/creator/CMakeLists.txt b/source/creator/CMakeLists.txt
index 885ea2510ae..bd2b83081f3 100644
--- a/source/creator/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/source/creator/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -167,11 +167,15 @@ if(WIN32 AND NOT UNIX)
     -DBLEN_VER_RC_4=0
   )
 
-
   list(APPEND SRC
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/release/windows/icons/winblender.rc
-    ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/blender.exe.manifest
   )
+
+  if(NOT WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST)
+    list(APPEND SRC
+      ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/blender.exe.manifest
+    )
+  endif()
 endif()
 
 if(WITH_BUILDINFO)
@@ -342,8 +346,12 @@ else()
     add_executable(blender-launcher WIN32
       blender_launcher_win32.c
       ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/release/windows/icons/winblender.rc
-      ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/blender.exe.manifest
     )
+    if(NOT WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST)
+      list(APPEND SRC
+        ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/blender.exe.manifest
+      )
+    endif()
     target_compile_definitions (blender-launcher PRIVATE -D_UNICODE -DUNICODE)
     target_link_libraries(blender-launcher Pathcch.lib)
   endif()
@@ -978,6 +986,17 @@ file(REMOVE ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/bin/lib/libglapi.so.0.0.0)\n
     )
   endif()
 elseif(WIN32)
+  if(WITH_WINDOWS_EXTERNAL_MANIFEST)
+    install(
+      FILES ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/blender.exe.manifest
+      DESTINATION "."
+    )
+    install(
+      FILES ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/blender.exe.manifest
+      DESTINATION "."
+      RENAME blender-launcher.exe.manifest
+    )
+  endif()
   windows_install_shared_manifest(
     FILES ${LIBDIR}/epoxy/bin/epoxy-0.dll
     ALL