diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdClean.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdClean.hs
index 2ffda4dce6a..0cde4939b7b 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdClean.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdClean.hs
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ import Distribution.Simple.Utils
   , info
   , wrapText
   )
+import Distribution.System
+  ( OS (Windows)
+  , buildOS
+  )
 import Distribution.Utils.Path hiding
   ( (<.>)
   , (</>)
@@ -74,6 +78,7 @@ import System.Directory
   , listDirectory
   , removeDirectoryRecursive
   , removeFile
+  , removePathForcibly
   )
 import System.FilePath
   ( (</>)
@@ -168,7 +173,11 @@ cleanAction (ProjectFlags{..}, CleanFlags{..}) extraArgs _ = do
         let distRoot = distDirectory distLayout
 
         info verbosity ("Deleting dist-newstyle (" ++ distRoot ++ ")")
-        handleDoesNotExist () $ removeDirectoryRecursive distRoot
+        handleDoesNotExist () $
+          if buildOS == Windows
+            then -- Windows can't delete some git files #10182
+              removePathForcibly distRoot
+            else removeDirectoryRecursive distRoot
 
     removeEnvFiles $ distProjectRootDirectory distLayout
 
diff --git a/changelog.d/pr-10190 b/changelog.d/pr-10190
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..af28a8a9568
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/pr-10190
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+synopsis: Fix `cabal clean` permissions on Windows
+packages: cabal-install
+prs: #10190
+issues: #10182
+significance:
+
+description: {
+
+- `cabal clean` now removes the `dist-newstyle` folder forcibly on Windows.
+
+}