diff --git a/Dockerfile.dev b/Dockerfile.dev
index bdafe6102c..cff5ee2cc0 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.dev
+++ b/Dockerfile.dev
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ RUN apt-get install -y make autoconf automake libtool pkg-config
 # for cross-compiling
 RUN apt-get install -y mingw32 mingw-w64 libc6-dev-i386
 
+# for running cross-compiled tests
+RUN dpkg --add-architecture i386 && apt-get update && apt-get install -y wine32 wine64
+
 # for check_yaml
 WORKDIR /root/src/
 RUN apt-get install -y curl patch
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index ebdff8cc76..59b61a47d2 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ distwin32-dir :
 	@if which i586-mingw32msvc-gcc >/dev/null; then \
 	  ./configure --host i586-mingw32msvc --prefix=$(CURDIR)/liblouis-$(VERSION)-win32 && \
 	  make LDFLAGS="$$LDFLAGS -avoid-version -Xcompiler -static-libgcc" && \
+	  make check && \
 	  make install; \
 	elif which i686-w64-mingw32-gcc >/dev/null; then \
 	  ./configure --host i686-w64-mingw32 --prefix=$(CURDIR)/liblouis-$(VERSION)-win32 && \
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 1e23b933e7..96d2a258b5 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -150,9 +150,12 @@ case $host in
   *mingw* | *cygwin*)
     CFLAGS="$CFLAGS -Wl,--add-stdcall-alias"
     LDFLAGS="$LDFLAGS -avoid-version"
+    mingw=yes
   ;;
 esac
 
+AM_CONDITIONAL([MINGW], [test "$mingw" = yes])
+
 AC_CONFIG_FILES([
 	Makefile
         doc/Makefile
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index a6292cdf8c..a9b040767f 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -95,12 +95,16 @@ program_TESTS =					\
 
 check_PROGRAMS = $(program_TESTS)
 
-dist_check_SCRIPTS =				\
+dist_check_SCRIPTS =
+
+if !MINGW
+dist_check_SCRIPTS += 			\
 	check_all_tables.pl			\
 	check_endless_loop.pl			\
 	check_included_tables.sh		\
 	multiple_table_path.pl			\
 	ueb_test_data.pl
+endif
 
 # The present_progressive should not really fail but for the moment
 # the issue doesn't seem to be critical enough that anybody has enough
@@ -203,8 +207,8 @@ yaml/da-dk-g18-dictionary_harness.yaml	\
 	yaml/vi-g1_harness.yaml			\
 	yaml/zh-chn.yaml
 
-TEST_EXTENSIONS = .yaml
-YAML_LOG_COMPILER =  $(top_builddir)/tools/lou_checkyaml
+TEST_EXTENSIONS = .yaml .pl
+YAML_LOG_COMPILER =  $(top_builddir)/tools/lou_checkyaml$(EXEEXT)
 
 EXTRA_DIST = $(dist_yaml_TESTS)
 
@@ -221,3 +225,9 @@ AM_TESTS_ENVIRONMENT =								\
 	PYTHONPATH=$(top_builddir)/python:$$PYTHONPATH				\
 	LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$(top_builddir)/liblouis/.libs:$$LD_LIBRARY_PATH	\
 	PATH=$(top_builddir)/tools:$$PATH
+
+if MINGW
+# FIXME: is there a way to prepend to LOG_COMPILE instead of to overwrite it?
+LOG_COMPILE = wine32 $(LOG_COMPILER) $(AM_LOG_FLAGS) $(LOG_FLAGS)
+YAML_LOG_COMPILE = wine32 $(YAML_LOG_COMPILER) $(AM_YAML_LOG_FLAGS) $(YAML_LOG_FLAGS)
+endif