diff --git a/docs/markdown/snippets/csc.md b/docs/markdown/snippets/csc.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..90a6f7f94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/markdown/snippets/csc.md
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+## Visual Studio C# compiler support
+
+In addition to the Mono C# compiler we also support Visual Studio's C#
+compiler. Currently this is only supported on the Ninja backend.
diff --git a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
index e8c8b39ba..8b616a60e 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/backend/ninjabackend.py
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ class NinjaBuildElement:
         # This is the only way I could find to make this work on all
         # platforms including Windows command shell. Slash is a dir separator
         # on Windows, too, so all characters are unambiguous and, more importantly,
-        # do not require quoting.
+        # do not require quoting, unless explicitely specified, which is necessary for
+        # the csc compiler.
         line = line.replace('\\', '/')
         outfile.write(line)
 
@@ -988,7 +989,7 @@ int dummy;
         outname_rel = os.path.join(self.get_target_dir(target), fname)
         src_list = target.get_sources()
         compiler = target.compilers['cs']
-        rel_srcs = [s.rel_to_builddir(self.build_to_src) for s in src_list]
+        rel_srcs = [os.path.normpath(s.rel_to_builddir(self.build_to_src)) for s in src_list]
         deps = []
         commands = CompilerArgs(compiler, target.extra_args.get('cs', []))
         commands += compiler.get_buildtype_args(buildtype)
@@ -1014,8 +1015,8 @@ int dummy;
         for rel_src in generated_sources.keys():
             dirpart, fnamepart = os.path.split(rel_src)
             if rel_src.lower().endswith('.cs'):
-                rel_srcs.append(rel_src)
-            deps.append(rel_src)
+                rel_srcs.append(os.path.normpath(rel_src))
+            deps.append(os.path.normpath(rel_src))
 
         for dep in target.get_external_deps():
             commands.extend_direct(dep.get_link_args())
@@ -1588,7 +1589,15 @@ int dummy;
     def generate_cs_compile_rule(self, compiler, outfile):
         rule = 'rule %s_COMPILER\n' % compiler.get_language()
         invoc = ' '.join([ninja_quote(i) for i in compiler.get_exelist()])
-        command = ' command = %s $ARGS $in\n' % invoc
+
+        if mesonlib.is_windows():
+            command = ''' command = {executable}  @$out.rsp
+ rspfile = $out.rsp
+ rspfile_content =  $ARGS  $in
+'''.format(executable=invoc)
+        else:
+            command = ' command = %s $ARGS $in\n' % invoc
+
         description = ' description = Compiling C Sharp target $out.\n'
         outfile.write(rule)
         outfile.write(command)
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/__init__.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/__init__.py
index f09f25277..84c87fb09 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/__init__.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/__init__.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ __all__ = [
     'JavaCompiler',
     'LLVMDCompiler',
     'MonoCompiler',
+    'VisualStudioCsCompiler',
     'NAGFortranCompiler',
     'ObjCCompiler',
     'ObjCPPCompiler',
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ from .cpp import (
     IntelCPPCompiler,
     VisualStudioCPPCompiler,
 )
-from .cs import MonoCompiler
+from .cs import MonoCompiler, VisualStudioCsCompiler
 from .d import (
     DCompiler,
     DmdDCompiler,
diff --git a/mesonbuild/compilers/cs.py b/mesonbuild/compilers/cs.py
index dd7a433d9..f78e364b3 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/compilers/cs.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/compilers/cs.py
@@ -15,19 +15,26 @@
 import os.path, subprocess
 
 from ..mesonlib import EnvironmentException
+from ..mesonlib import is_windows
 
 from .compilers import Compiler, mono_buildtype_args
 
-class MonoCompiler(Compiler):
-    def __init__(self, exelist, version, **kwargs):
+class CsCompiler(Compiler):
+    def __init__(self, exelist, version, id, runner=None):
         self.language = 'cs'
-        super().__init__(exelist, version, **kwargs)
-        self.id = 'mono'
-        self.monorunner = 'mono'
+        super().__init__(exelist, version)
+        self.id = id
+        self.runner = runner
 
     def get_display_language(self):
         return 'C sharp'
 
+    def get_always_args(self):
+        return ['/nologo']
+
+    def get_linker_always_args(self):
+        return ['/nologo']
+
     def get_output_args(self, fname):
         return ['-out:' + fname]
 
@@ -92,11 +99,14 @@ class MonoCompiler(Compiler):
     }
 }
 ''')
-        pc = subprocess.Popen(self.exelist + [src], cwd=work_dir)
+        pc = subprocess.Popen(self.exelist + self.get_always_args() + [src], cwd=work_dir)
         pc.wait()
         if pc.returncode != 0:
             raise EnvironmentException('Mono compiler %s can not compile programs.' % self.name_string())
-        cmdlist = [self.monorunner, obj]
+        if self.runner:
+            cmdlist = [self.runner, obj]
+        else:
+            cmdlist = [os.path.join(work_dir, obj)]
         pe = subprocess.Popen(cmdlist, cwd=work_dir)
         pe.wait()
         if pe.returncode != 0:
@@ -107,3 +117,25 @@ class MonoCompiler(Compiler):
 
     def get_buildtype_args(self, buildtype):
         return mono_buildtype_args[buildtype]
+
+
+class MonoCompiler(CsCompiler):
+    def __init__(self, exelist, version):
+        super().__init__(exelist, version, 'mono',
+                         'mono')
+
+
+class VisualStudioCsCompiler(CsCompiler):
+    def __init__(self, exelist, version):
+        super().__init__(exelist, version, 'csc')
+
+    def get_buildtype_args(self, buildtype):
+        res = mono_buildtype_args[buildtype]
+        if not is_windows():
+            tmp = []
+            for flag in res:
+                if flag == '-debug':
+                    flag = '-debug:portable'
+                tmp.append(flag)
+            res = tmp
+        return res
diff --git a/mesonbuild/environment.py b/mesonbuild/environment.py
index e553423c2..ccd85d53e 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/environment.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/environment.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ from .compilers import (
     IntelFortranCompiler,
     JavaCompiler,
     MonoCompiler,
+    VisualStudioCsCompiler,
     NAGFortranCompiler,
     Open64FortranCompiler,
     PathScaleFortranCompiler,
@@ -275,6 +276,10 @@ class Environment:
         else:
             self.default_c = ['cc', 'gcc', 'clang']
             self.default_cpp = ['c++', 'g++', 'clang++']
+        if mesonlib.is_windows():
+            self.default_cs = ['csc', 'mcs']
+        else:
+            self.default_cs = ['mcs', 'csc']
         self.default_objc = ['cc']
         self.default_objcpp = ['c++']
         self.default_fortran = ['gfortran', 'g95', 'f95', 'f90', 'f77', 'ifort']
@@ -419,7 +424,7 @@ class Environment:
     def _get_compilers(self, lang, evar, want_cross):
         '''
         The list of compilers is detected in the exact same way for
-        C, C++, ObjC, ObjC++, Fortran so consolidate it here.
+        C, C++, ObjC, ObjC++, Fortran, CS so consolidate it here.
         '''
         if self.is_cross_build() and want_cross:
             compilers = mesonlib.stringlistify(self.cross_info.config['binaries'][lang])
@@ -664,16 +669,24 @@ class Environment:
         raise EnvironmentException('Unknown compiler "' + ' '.join(exelist) + '"')
 
     def detect_cs_compiler(self):
-        exelist = ['mcs']
-        try:
-            p, out, err = Popen_safe(exelist + ['--version'])
-        except OSError:
-            raise EnvironmentException('Could not execute C# compiler "%s"' % ' '.join(exelist))
-        version = search_version(out)
-        full_version = out.split('\n', 1)[0]
-        if 'Mono' in out:
-            return MonoCompiler(exelist, version, full_version=full_version)
-        raise EnvironmentException('Unknown compiler "' + ' '.join(exelist) + '"')
+        compilers, ccache, is_cross, exe_wrap = self._get_compilers('cs', 'CSC', False)
+        popen_exceptions = {}
+        for comp in compilers:
+            if not isinstance(comp, list):
+                comp = [comp]
+            try:
+                p, out, err = Popen_safe(comp + ['--version'])
+            except OSError as e:
+                popen_exceptions[' '.join(comp + ['--version'])] = e
+                continue
+
+            version = search_version(out)
+            if 'Mono' in out:
+                return MonoCompiler(comp, version)
+            elif "Visual C#" in out:
+                return VisualStudioCsCompiler(comp, version)
+
+        self._handle_exceptions(popen_exceptions, compilers)
 
     def detect_vala_compiler(self):
         if 'VALAC' in os.environ:
diff --git a/run_project_tests.py b/run_project_tests.py
index c2c3efe76..f9d4dbd04 100755
--- a/run_project_tests.py
+++ b/run_project_tests.py
@@ -465,6 +465,28 @@ def skippable(suite, test):
     # Other framework tests are allowed to be skipped on other platforms
     return True
 
+def skip_csharp(backend):
+    if backend is not Backend.ninja:
+        return True
+    if not shutil.which('resgen'):
+        return True
+    if shutil.which('mcs'):
+        return False
+    if shutil.which('csc'):
+        # Only support VS2017 for now. Earlier versions fail
+        # under CI in mysterious ways.
+        try:
+            stdo = subprocess.check_output(['csc', '/version'])
+        except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+            return True
+        # Having incrementing version numbers would be too easy.
+        # Microsoft reset the versioning back to 1.0 (from 4.x)
+        # when they got the Roslyn based compiler. Thus there
+        # is NO WAY to reliably do version number comparisons.
+        # Only support the version that ships with VS2017.
+        return not stdo.startswith(b'2.')
+    return True
+
 def detect_tests_to_run():
     # Name, subdirectory, skip condition.
     all_tests = [
@@ -478,7 +500,7 @@ def detect_tests_to_run():
         ('platform-linux', 'linuxlike', mesonlib.is_osx() or mesonlib.is_windows()),
 
         ('java', 'java', backend is not Backend.ninja or mesonlib.is_osx() or not have_java()),
-        ('C#', 'csharp', backend is not Backend.ninja or not shutil.which('mcs')),
+        ('C#', 'csharp', skip_csharp(backend)),
         ('vala', 'vala', backend is not Backend.ninja or not shutil.which('valac')),
         ('rust', 'rust', backend is not Backend.ninja or not shutil.which('rustc')),
         ('d', 'd', backend is not Backend.ninja or not have_d_compiler()),
diff --git a/test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/base.inp b/test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/base.inp
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/base.inp
rename to test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/base.inp
diff --git a/test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/com/mesonbuild/subbie.inp b/test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/com/mesonbuild/subbie.inp
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/com/mesonbuild/subbie.inp
rename to test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/com/mesonbuild/subbie.inp
diff --git a/test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/genprog.py b/test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/genprog.py
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/genprog.py
rename to test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/genprog.py
diff --git a/test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/meson.build b/test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/meson.build
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/meson.build
rename to test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/meson.build
diff --git a/test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/testprog.c b/test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/testprog.c
similarity index 100%
rename from test cases/common/174 preserve gendir/testprog.c
rename to test cases/common/178 preserve gendir/testprog.c
diff --git a/test cases/csharp/1 basic/meson.build b/test cases/csharp/1 basic/meson.build
index 2ee6a4a93..09e46c293 100644
--- a/test cases/csharp/1 basic/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/csharp/1 basic/meson.build	
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 project('simple c#', 'cs')
 
-e = executable('prog', 'prog.cs', install : true)
+e = executable('prog', 'prog.cs', 'text.cs', install : true)
 test('basic', e)
diff --git a/test cases/csharp/1 basic/prog.cs b/test cases/csharp/1 basic/prog.cs
index dfb24002b..6ee47b074 100644
--- a/test cases/csharp/1 basic/prog.cs	
+++ b/test cases/csharp/1 basic/prog.cs	
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 using System;
- 
+
 public class Prog {
     static public void Main () {
-        Console.WriteLine("C# is working.");
+        TextGetter tg = new TextGetter();
+        Console.WriteLine(tg.getText());
     }
 }
diff --git a/test cases/csharp/1 basic/text.cs b/test cases/csharp/1 basic/text.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c83c424c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test cases/csharp/1 basic/text.cs	
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+using System;
+
+public class TextGetter {
+    public String getText() {
+        return "C# is working.";
+    }
+}
diff --git a/test cases/csharp/4 external dep/meson.build b/test cases/csharp/4 external dep/meson.build
index 004d25ffc..019d618b7 100644
--- a/test cases/csharp/4 external dep/meson.build	
+++ b/test cases/csharp/4 external dep/meson.build	
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 project('C# external library', 'cs')
-glib_sharp_2 = dependency('glib-sharp-2.0')
+glib_sharp_2 = dependency('glib-sharp-2.0', required : false)
+
+if not glib_sharp_2.found()
+  error('MESON_SKIP_TEST glib# not found.')
+endif
+
 e = executable('prog', 'prog.cs', dependencies: glib_sharp_2, install : true)
 test('libtest', e, args: [join_paths(meson.current_source_dir(), 'hello.txt')])
diff --git a/test cases/csharp/4 pkgconfig/meson.build b/test cases/csharp/4 pkgconfig/meson.build
deleted file mode 100644
index e2ba03578..000000000
--- a/test cases/csharp/4 pkgconfig/meson.build	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-project('C# pkg-config', 'cs')
-
-nunit_dep = dependency('nunit')
-nunit_runner = find_program('nunit-console')
-
-test_lib = library('test_lib', 'test-lib.cs', dependencies: nunit_dep)
-test('nunit test', nunit_runner, args: test_lib)
diff --git a/test cases/csharp/4 pkgconfig/test-lib.cs b/test cases/csharp/4 pkgconfig/test-lib.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index 29f679505..000000000
--- a/test cases/csharp/4 pkgconfig/test-lib.cs	
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-using NUnit.Framework;
-
-[TestFixture]
-public class NUnitTest
-{
-    [Test]
-    public void Test() 
-    {
-        Assert.AreEqual(1 + 1, 2);
-    }
-}