diff --git a/crates/c-api/include/wasmtime.h b/crates/c-api/include/wasmtime.h
index 7f78a44c5e..a7ed8fcd55 100644
--- a/crates/c-api/include/wasmtime.h
+++ b/crates/c-api/include/wasmtime.h
@@ -72,7 +72,9 @@ WASM_API_EXTERN bool wasmtime_wat2wasm(
 
 WASMTIME_DECLARE_OWN(linker)
 
-WASM_API_EXTERN own wasmtime_linker_t* wasmtime_linker_new(wasm_store_t* store, bool allow_shadowing);
+WASM_API_EXTERN own wasmtime_linker_t* wasmtime_linker_new(wasm_store_t* store);
+
+WASM_API_EXTERN void wasmtime_linker_allow_shadowing(wasmtime_linker_t* linker, bool allow_shadowing);
 
 WASM_API_EXTERN bool wasmtime_linker_define(
     wasmtime_linker_t *linker,
diff --git a/crates/c-api/src/ext.rs b/crates/c-api/src/ext.rs
index 5bc4231501..159b6a1635 100644
--- a/crates/c-api/src/ext.rs
+++ b/crates/c-api/src/ext.rs
@@ -142,13 +142,18 @@ pub struct wasmtime_linker_t {
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasmtime_linker_new(
-    store: *mut wasm_store_t,
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasmtime_linker_new(store: *mut wasm_store_t) -> *mut wasmtime_linker_t {
+    Box::into_raw(Box::new(wasmtime_linker_t {
+        linker: Linker::new(&(*store).store.borrow()),
+    }))
+}
+
+#[no_mangle]
+pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasmtime_linker_allow_shadowing(
+    linker: *mut wasmtime_linker_t,
     allow_shadowing: bool,
-) -> *mut wasmtime_linker_t {
-    let mut linker = Linker::new(&(*store).store.borrow());
-    linker.allow_shadowing(allow_shadowing);
-    Box::into_raw(Box::new(wasmtime_linker_t { linker }))
+) {
+    (*linker).linker.allow_shadowing(allow_shadowing);
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
diff --git a/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Host.cs b/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Host.cs
index 92b8c05a29..95d6e98042 100644
--- a/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Host.cs
+++ b/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Host.cs
@@ -668,12 +668,14 @@ namespace Wasmtime
         {
             CheckDisposed();
 
-            var linker = Interop.wasmtime_linker_new(Store, allowShadowing: true);
+            var linker = Interop.wasmtime_linker_new(Store);
             if (linker.IsInvalid)
             {
                 throw new WasmtimeException("Failed to create Wasmtime linker.");
             }
 
+            Interop.wasmtime_linker_allow_shadowing(linker, allowShadowing: true);
+
             Linker.Dispose();
             Linker = linker;
         }
@@ -722,12 +724,14 @@ namespace Wasmtime
                 throw new WasmtimeException("Failed to create Wasmtime store.");
             }
 
-            var linker = Interop.wasmtime_linker_new(store, allowShadowing: true);
+            var linker = Interop.wasmtime_linker_new(store);
             if (linker.IsInvalid)
             {
                 throw new WasmtimeException("Failed to create Wasmtime linker.");
             }
 
+            Interop.wasmtime_linker_allow_shadowing(linker, allowShadowing: true);
+
             Engine = engine;
             Store = store;
             Linker = linker;
diff --git a/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Interop.cs b/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Interop.cs
index 7432c3cb55..32f92585ed 100644
--- a/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Interop.cs
+++ b/crates/misc/dotnet/src/Interop.cs
@@ -1020,7 +1020,10 @@ namespace Wasmtime
         // Linking functions
 
         [DllImport(LibraryName)]
-        public static extern LinkerHandle wasmtime_linker_new(StoreHandle store, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.I1)] bool allowShadowing);
+        public static extern LinkerHandle wasmtime_linker_new(StoreHandle store);
+
+        [DllImport(LibraryName)]
+        public static extern void wasmtime_linker_allow_shadowing(LinkerHandle linker, [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.I1)] bool allowShadowing);
 
         [DllImport(LibraryName)]
         public static extern void wasmtime_linker_delete(IntPtr linker);
diff --git a/examples/linking.c b/examples/linking.c
index 2b31d1a368..f3dc199429 100644
--- a/examples/linking.c
+++ b/examples/linking.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ int main() {
 
   // Create our linker which will be linking our modules together, and then add
   // our WASI instance to it.
-  wasmtime_linker_t *linker = wasmtime_linker_new(store, false);
+  wasmtime_linker_t *linker = wasmtime_linker_new(store);
   bool ok = wasmtime_linker_define_wasi(linker, wasi);
   assert(ok);