diff --git a/core/runtime/v2/bundle.go b/core/runtime/v2/bundle.go
index 5f50325957..81ae69b6bd 100644
--- a/core/runtime/v2/bundle.go
+++ b/core/runtime/v2/bundle.go
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ func NewBundle(ctx context.Context, root, state, id string, spec typeurl.Any) (b
 		}
 	}
 	paths = append(paths, work)
-	// symlink workdir
-	if err := os.Symlink(work, filepath.Join(b.Path, "work")); err != nil {
+	// create work link (symlink on unix, junction on windows)
+	if err := createWorkLink(work, b.Path); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	// Spec may be nil for some sandboxers that do not initialize the spec, for
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ type Bundle struct {
 
 // Delete a bundle atomically
 func (b *Bundle) Delete() error {
-	work, werr := os.Readlink(filepath.Join(b.Path, "work"))
+	work, werr := resolveWorkLink(b.Path)
 	rootfs := filepath.Join(b.Path, "rootfs")
 	if err := mount.UnmountRecursive(rootfs, 0); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("unmount rootfs %s: %w", rootfs, err)
diff --git a/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_unix.go b/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b67bf144f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+//go:build !windows
+
+/*
+   Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package v2
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+// createWorkLink creates a symlink from bundlePath/work -> work.
+func createWorkLink(work, bundlePath string) error {
+	return os.Symlink(work, filepath.Join(bundlePath, "work"))
+}
+
+// resolveWorkLink reads the symlink at bundlePath/work to recover the
+// working directory path.
+func resolveWorkLink(bundlePath string) (string, error) {
+	return os.Readlink(filepath.Join(bundlePath, "work"))
+}
diff --git a/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_windows.go b/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..03085ae5e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/*
+   Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package v2
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	winio "github.com/Microsoft/go-winio"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/windows"
+)
+
+// createWorkLink creates a directory junction from bundlePath/work -> work.
+// Junctions do not require administrator privileges or Developer Mode,
+// unlike symlinks on Windows.
+func createWorkLink(work, bundlePath string) error {
+	target, err := filepath.Abs(work)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	link := filepath.Join(bundlePath, "work")
+	if err := os.Mkdir(link, 0711); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	linkPtr, err := windows.UTF16PtrFromString(link)
+	if err != nil {
+		os.Remove(link)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	handle, err := windows.CreateFile(
+		linkPtr,
+		windows.GENERIC_WRITE,
+		0,
+		nil,
+		windows.OPEN_EXISTING,
+		windows.FILE_FLAG_BACKUP_SEMANTICS,
+		0,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		os.Remove(link)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	rp := winio.ReparsePoint{
+		Target:       target,
+		IsMountPoint: true,
+	}
+	data := winio.EncodeReparsePoint(&rp)
+
+	var bytesReturned uint32
+	err = windows.DeviceIoControl(
+		handle,
+		windows.FSCTL_SET_REPARSE_POINT,
+		&data[0],
+		uint32(len(data)),
+		nil,
+		0,
+		&bytesReturned,
+		nil,
+	)
+	// The handle is opened without sharing, so it must be closed before the
+	// directory can be removed on failure.
+	windows.CloseHandle(handle)
+	if err != nil {
+		os.Remove(link)
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// resolveWorkLink reads the junction/symlink at bundlePath/work to recover
+// the working directory path. os.Readlink works for both symlinks and
+// junctions on Windows.
+func resolveWorkLink(bundlePath string) (string, error) {
+	return os.Readlink(filepath.Join(bundlePath, "work"))
+}
diff --git a/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_windows_test.go b/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_windows_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3398989b4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/runtime/v2/bundle_link_windows_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/*
+   Copyright The containerd Authors.
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package v2
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestCreateWorkLinkJunction(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	work := filepath.Join(dir, "root", "default", "test-id")
+	bundlePath := filepath.Join(dir, "state", "default", "test-id")
+
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(work, 0711), "failed to create work dir")
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(bundlePath, 0700), "failed to create bundle dir")
+
+	// Create the junction
+	require.NoError(t, createWorkLink(work, bundlePath), "failed to create work link")
+
+	// Verify the junction target resolves back to work
+	resolved, err := resolveWorkLink(bundlePath)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to resolve work link")
+
+	absWork, err := filepath.Abs(work)
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to get absolute path")
+	assert.Equal(t, absWork, resolved, "resolved work link should match absolute work path")
+
+	// Write a file through the junction and read from the target
+	testContent := []byte("hello")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(bundlePath, "work", "testfile"), testContent, 0644), "failed to write through junction")
+
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(work, "testfile"))
+	require.NoError(t, err, "failed to read from work dir")
+	assert.Equal(t, testContent, got, "content written through junction should be readable from target")
+}