diff --git a/cmake/modules/zlib.cmake b/cmake/modules/zlib.cmake
index 4e44271968..6d3903ea1f 100644
--- a/cmake/modules/zlib.cmake
+++ b/cmake/modules/zlib.cmake
@@ -66,13 +66,18 @@ else()
 			install(FILES ${ZLIB_HEADERS} DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/${LIBS_PACKAGE_NAME}/zlib"
 					COMPONENT "libs-deps")
 		else()
-			set(ZLIB_LIB "${ZLIB_SRC}/zlib.lib")
+			if(BUILD_SHARED_LIBS)
+				set(ZLIB_LIB_SUFFIX "${CMAKE_SHARED_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}")
+			else()
+				set(ZLIB_LIB_SUFFIX "${CMAKE_STATIC_LIBRARY_SUFFIX}")
+			endif()
+			set(ZLIB_LIB "${ZLIB_SRC}/zlib${ZLIB_LIB_SUFFIX}")
 			ExternalProject_Add(zlib
 				PREFIX "${PROJECT_BINARY_DIR}/zlib-prefix"
 				URL "https://github.com/madler/zlib/archive/v1.2.13.tar.gz"
 				URL_HASH "SHA256=1525952a0a567581792613a9723333d7f8cc20b87a81f920fb8bc7e3f2251428"
 				CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
-				BUILD_COMMAND nmake -f win32/Makefile.msc
+				BUILD_COMMAND nmake -f win32/Makefile.msc LOC=-DZLIB_WINAPI
 				BUILD_IN_SOURCE 1
 				BUILD_BYPRODUCTS ${ZLIB_LIB}
 				INSTALL_COMMAND "")
diff --git a/userspace/libscap/scap_zlib.h b/userspace/libscap/scap_zlib.h
index ebe0fba61d..bbce0b7c9b 100644
--- a/userspace/libscap/scap_zlib.h
+++ b/userspace/libscap/scap_zlib.h
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 
 #include "settings.h"
 
-#if defined(USE_ZLIB) && !defined(UDIG) && !defined(_WIN32)
+#if defined(USE_ZLIB) && !defined(UDIG)
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#define ZLIB_WINAPI
+#endif
 #include <zlib.h>
 #else
 #include <stdio.h>
diff --git a/userspace/libsinsp/CMakeLists.txt b/userspace/libsinsp/CMakeLists.txt
index 8529ce13a1..1bee6ec812 100644
--- a/userspace/libsinsp/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/userspace/libsinsp/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ if(WITH_CHISEL)
 	include(tinydir)
 endif()
 
+include(zlib)
+
 if(NOT MINIMAL_BUILD)
-	include(zlib)
 	if (NOT WIN32 AND NOT EMSCRIPTEN)
 		include(curl)
 		include(cares)
@@ -194,6 +195,7 @@ target_link_libraries(sinsp
 
 set(SINSP_PKGCONFIG_LIBRARIES
 	scap
+	"${ZLIB_LIB}"
 	"${CURL_LIBRARIES}"
 	"${JSONCPP_LIB}"
 	"${RE2_LIB}"
diff --git a/userspace/libsinsp/test/CMakeLists.txt b/userspace/libsinsp/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 9dacf395f8..731dcd5ff1 100644
--- a/userspace/libsinsp/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/userspace/libsinsp/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ if(NOT MINIMAL_BUILD AND NOT EMSCRIPTEN)
 	include(curl)
 endif() # MINIMAL_BUILD
 
-if(NOT MINIMAL_BUILD)
-	include(zlib)
-endif()
+include(zlib)
 
 if(WIN32)
 	set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "-D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS -DWIN32 -DMINIMAL_BUILD /EHsc /W3 /Zi /std:c++17")