diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 8999170b4d2..45fb9dd616e 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ if host_system == 'aix'
   memset_loop_limit = 0
 
 elif host_system == 'cygwin'
+  sema_kind = 'unnamed_posix'
   cppflags += '-D_GNU_SOURCE'
   dlsuffix = '.dll'
   mod_link_args_fmt = ['@0@']
diff --git a/src/template/cygwin b/src/template/cygwin
index 3f42e2f8b69..4a03707a856 100644
--- a/src/template/cygwin
+++ b/src/template/cygwin
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 # src/template/cygwin
 
+# Prefer unnamed POSIX semaphores if available, unless user overrides choice
+if test x"$PREFERRED_SEMAPHORES" = x"" ; then
+  PREFERRED_SEMAPHORES=UNNAMED_POSIX
+fi
+
 SRCH_LIB="/usr/local/lib"
 
 # This is required for ppoll(2), and perhaps other things