diff --git a/internal/linker/linker.go b/internal/linker/linker.go
index 7e81a6b..1c583ac 100644
--- a/internal/linker/linker.go
+++ b/internal/linker/linker.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
+	"runtime"
 
 	"github.com/bluekeyes/go-gitdiff/gitdiff"
 	"github.com/rogpeppe/go-internal/lockedfile"
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ func applyPatches(srcDir, workingDir string, modFiles map[string]bool, patches [
 	return mod, nil
 }
 
-func cachePath(goExe string) (string, error) {
+func cachePath() (string, error) {
 	var cacheDir string
 	if val, ok := os.LookupEnv(garbleCacheDir); ok {
 		cacheDir = val
@@ -155,6 +156,11 @@ func cachePath(goExe string) (string, error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
+	goExe := ""
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		goExe = ".exe"
+	}
+
 	// Note that we only keep one patched and built linker in the cache.
 	// If the user switches between Go versions or garble versions often,
 	// this may result in rebuilds since we don't keep multiple binaries in the cache.
@@ -220,13 +226,13 @@ func buildLinker(workingDir string, overlay map[string]string, outputLinkPath st
 	return nil
 }
 
-func PatchLinker(goRoot, goVersion, goExe, tempDir string) (string, func(), error) {
+func PatchLinker(goRoot, goVersion, tempDir string) (string, func(), error) {
 	patchesVer, modFiles, patches, err := loadLinkerPatches()
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Errorf("cannot retrieve linker patches: %v", err))
 	}
 
-	outputLinkPath, err := cachePath(goExe)
+	outputLinkPath, err := cachePath()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 20d4c32..b482c90 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -441,7 +441,7 @@ func mainErr(args []string) error {
 
 		executablePath := args[0]
 		if tool == "link" {
-			modifiedLinkPath, unlock, err := linker.PatchLinker(cache.GoEnv.GOROOT, cache.GoEnv.GOVERSION, cache.GoEnv.GOEXE, sharedTempDir)
+			modifiedLinkPath, unlock, err := linker.PatchLinker(cache.GoEnv.GOROOT, cache.GoEnv.GOVERSION, sharedTempDir)
 			if err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("cannot get modified linker: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -2378,7 +2378,7 @@ func flagSetValue(flags []string, name, value string) []string {
 func fetchGoEnv() error {
 	out, err := exec.Command("go", "env", "-json",
 		// Keep in sync with sharedCache.GoEnv.
-		"GOOS", "GOMOD", "GOVERSION", "GOROOT", "GOEXE",
+		"GOOS", "GOMOD", "GOVERSION", "GOROOT",
 	).CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		// TODO: cover this in the tests.
diff --git a/shared.go b/shared.go
index bbd8f4f..c75c9d9 100644
--- a/shared.go
+++ b/shared.go
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ type sharedCache struct {
 		GOMOD     string
 		GOVERSION string
 		GOROOT    string
-		GOEXE     string
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/testdata/script/linker.txtar b/testdata/script/linker.txtar
index 9c0d7ee..141be66 100644
--- a/testdata/script/linker.txtar
+++ b/testdata/script/linker.txtar
@@ -14,9 +14,23 @@ exec ./main
 
 [short] stop # no need to verify this with -short
 
+# The rebuilt linker should use the executable extension for the host GOOS,
+# not the target one. Not doing so might be harmless, but can result in
+# building the linker twice, wasting CPU and disk.
+[!windows] env GOOS=windows
+[windows] env GOOS=linux
+garble build
+[!windows] [exec:git]   exists ${GARBLE_CACHE_DIR}/garble/link
+[!windows] [exec:git] ! exists ${GARBLE_CACHE_DIR}/garble/link.exe
+[windows]  [exec:git] ! exists ${GARBLE_CACHE_DIR}/garble/link
+[windows]  [exec:git]   exists ${GARBLE_CACHE_DIR}/garble/link.exe
+env GOOS=
+
+# Verify a build without garble.
 go build
 exec ./main
 cmp stderr main.stderr
+
 -- go.mod --
 module test/main