diff --git a/include/uv/win.h b/include/uv/win.h
index 5fecf4bf..59a5d86e 100644
--- a/include/uv/win.h
+++ b/include/uv/win.h
@@ -263,21 +263,14 @@ typedef union {
   } unused_; /* TODO: retained for ABI compatibility; remove me in v2.x. */
 } uv_cond_t;
 
-typedef union {
-  struct {
-    unsigned int num_readers_;
-    CRITICAL_SECTION num_readers_lock_;
-    HANDLE write_semaphore_;
-  } state_;
-  /* TODO: remove me in v2.x. */
-  struct {
-    SRWLOCK unused_;
-  } unused1_;
-  /* TODO: remove me in v2.x. */
-  struct {
-    uv_mutex_t unused1_;
-    uv_mutex_t unused2_;
-  } unused2_;
+typedef struct {
+  SRWLOCK read_write_lock_;
+  /* TODO: retained for ABI compatibility; remove me in v2.x */
+#ifdef _WIN64
+  unsigned char padding_[72];
+#else
+  unsigned char padding_[44];
+#endif
 } uv_rwlock_t;
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/src/win/thread.c b/src/win/thread.c
index 3615101b..ea5dc04e 100644
--- a/src/win/thread.c
+++ b/src/win/thread.c
@@ -248,113 +248,60 @@ void uv_mutex_unlock(uv_mutex_t* mutex) {
   LeaveCriticalSection(mutex);
 }
 
+/* Ensure that the ABI for this type remains stable in v1.x */
+#ifdef _WIN64
+STATIC_ASSERT(sizeof(uv_rwlock_t) == 80);
+#else
+STATIC_ASSERT(sizeof(uv_rwlock_t) == 48);
+#endif
 
 int uv_rwlock_init(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  /* Initialize the semaphore that acts as the write lock. */
-  HANDLE handle = CreateSemaphoreW(NULL, 1, 1, NULL);
-  if (handle == NULL)
-    return uv_translate_sys_error(GetLastError());
-  rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_ = handle;
-
-  /* Initialize the critical section protecting the reader count. */
-  InitializeCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_);
-
-  /* Initialize the reader count. */
-  rwlock->state_.num_readers_ = 0;
+  memset(rwlock, 0, sizeof(*rwlock));
+  InitializeSRWLock(&rwlock->read_write_lock_);
 
   return 0;
 }
 
 
 void uv_rwlock_destroy(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  DeleteCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_);
-  CloseHandle(rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_);
+  /* SRWLock does not need explicit destruction so long as there are no waiting threads
+     See: https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/win32/api/synchapi/nf-synchapi-initializesrwlock#remarks */
 }
 
 
 void uv_rwlock_rdlock(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  /* Acquire the lock that protects the reader count. */
-  EnterCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_);
-
-  /* Increase the reader count, and lock for write if this is the first
-   * reader.
-   */
-  if (++rwlock->state_.num_readers_ == 1) {
-    DWORD r = WaitForSingleObject(rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_, INFINITE);
-    if (r != WAIT_OBJECT_0)
-      uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "WaitForSingleObject");
-  }
-
-  /* Release the lock that protects the reader count. */
-  LeaveCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_);
+  AcquireSRWLockShared(&rwlock->read_write_lock_);
 }
 
 
 int uv_rwlock_tryrdlock(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  int err;
-
-  if (!TryEnterCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_))
+  if (!TryAcquireSRWLockShared(&rwlock->read_write_lock_))
     return UV_EBUSY;
 
-  err = 0;
-
-  if (rwlock->state_.num_readers_ == 0) {
-    /* Currently there are no other readers, which means that the write lock
-     * needs to be acquired.
-     */
-    DWORD r = WaitForSingleObject(rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_, 0);
-    if (r == WAIT_OBJECT_0)
-      rwlock->state_.num_readers_++;
-    else if (r == WAIT_TIMEOUT)
-      err = UV_EBUSY;
-    else if (r == WAIT_FAILED)
-      uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "WaitForSingleObject");
-
-  } else {
-    /* The write lock has already been acquired because there are other
-     * active readers.
-     */
-    rwlock->state_.num_readers_++;
-  }
-
-  LeaveCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_);
-  return err;
+  return 0;
 }
 
 
 void uv_rwlock_rdunlock(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  EnterCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_);
-
-  if (--rwlock->state_.num_readers_ == 0) {
-    if (!ReleaseSemaphore(rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_, 1, NULL))
-      uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "ReleaseSemaphore");
-  }
-
-  LeaveCriticalSection(&rwlock->state_.num_readers_lock_);
+  ReleaseSRWLockShared(&rwlock->read_write_lock_);
 }
 
 
 void uv_rwlock_wrlock(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  DWORD r = WaitForSingleObject(rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_, INFINITE);
-  if (r != WAIT_OBJECT_0)
-    uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "WaitForSingleObject");
+  AcquireSRWLockExclusive(&rwlock->read_write_lock_);
 }
 
 
 int uv_rwlock_trywrlock(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  DWORD r = WaitForSingleObject(rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_, 0);
-  if (r == WAIT_OBJECT_0)
-    return 0;
-  else if (r == WAIT_TIMEOUT)
+  if (!TryAcquireSRWLockExclusive(&rwlock->read_write_lock_))
     return UV_EBUSY;
-  else
-    uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "WaitForSingleObject");
+
+  return 0;
 }
 
 
 void uv_rwlock_wrunlock(uv_rwlock_t* rwlock) {
-  if (!ReleaseSemaphore(rwlock->state_.write_semaphore_, 1, NULL))
-    uv_fatal_error(GetLastError(), "ReleaseSemaphore");
+  ReleaseSRWLockExclusive(&rwlock->read_write_lock_);
 }