diff --git a/.github/actions/spell-check/dictionary/microsoft.txt b/.github/actions/spell-check/dictionary/microsoft.txt
index 6421c6bb666..50831af918c 100644
--- a/.github/actions/spell-check/dictionary/microsoft.txt
+++ b/.github/actions/spell-check/dictionary/microsoft.txt
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ microsoftonline
 osgvsowi
 powershell
 tdbuildteamid
+vcruntime
 visualstudio
diff --git a/.github/actions/spell-check/whitelist/whitelist.txt b/.github/actions/spell-check/whitelist/whitelist.txt
index f71dde01479..58da42f6e46 100644
--- a/.github/actions/spell-check/whitelist/whitelist.txt
+++ b/.github/actions/spell-check/whitelist/whitelist.txt
@@ -596,6 +596,7 @@ Delt
 demoable
 depersist
 deprioritized
+deps
 deque
 deref
 deserialization
diff --git a/build/scripts/Test-WindowsTerminalPackage.ps1 b/build/scripts/Test-WindowsTerminalPackage.ps1
index 23da009c63f..5958a69f8b5 100644
--- a/build/scripts/Test-WindowsTerminalPackage.ps1
+++ b/build/scripts/Test-WindowsTerminalPackage.ps1
@@ -68,6 +68,27 @@ Try {
         }
     }
 
+    $dependencies = $Manifest.Package.Dependencies.PackageDependency.Name
+    $depsHasVclibsDesktop = ("Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00.UWPDesktop" -in $dependencies) -or ("Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00.Debug.UWPDesktop" -in $dependencies)
+    $depsHasVcLibsAppX = ("Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00" -in $dependencies) -or ("Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00.Debug" -in $dependencies)
+    $filesHasVclibsDesktop = ($null -ne (Get-Item "$AppxPackageRootPath\vcruntime140.dll" -EA:Ignore)) -or ($null -ne (Get-Item "$AppxPackageRootPath\vcruntime140d.dll" -EA:Ignore))
+    $filesHasVclibsAppX = ($null -ne (Get-Item "$AppxPackageRootPath\vcruntime140_app.dll" -EA:Ignore)) -or ($null -ne (Get-Item "$AppxPackageRootPath\vcruntime140d_app.dll" -EA:Ignore))
+
+    If ($depsHasVclibsDesktop -Eq $filesHasVclibsDesktop) {
+        $eitherBoth = if ($depsHasVclibsDesktop) { "both" } else { "neither" }
+        $neitherNor = if ($depsHasVclibsDesktop) { "and" } else { "nor" }
+        Throw "Package has $eitherBoth Dependency $neitherNor Integrated Desktop VCLibs"
+    }
+
+    If ($depsHasVclibsAppx -Eq $filesHasVclibsAppx) {
+        if ($depsHasVclibsAppx) {
+            # We've shipped like this forever, so downgrade to warning.
+            Write-Warning "Package has both Dependency and Integrated AppX VCLibs"
+        } else {
+            Throw "Package has neither Dependency nor Integrated AppX VCLibs"
+        }
+    }
+
     ### Check that we have an App.xbf (which is a proxy for our resources having been merged)
     $resourceXpath = '/PriInfo/ResourceMap/ResourceMapSubtree[@name="Files"]/NamedResource[@name="App.xbf"]'
     $AppXbf = $PRIFile.SelectSingleNode($resourceXpath)
diff --git a/src/cascadia/CascadiaPackage/CascadiaPackage.wapproj b/src/cascadia/CascadiaPackage/CascadiaPackage.wapproj
index 97a6d26fb2a..69cb812cf3e 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/CascadiaPackage/CascadiaPackage.wapproj
+++ b/src/cascadia/CascadiaPackage/CascadiaPackage.wapproj
@@ -106,6 +106,30 @@
       <AppxUploadPackagePayload Remove="@(AppxUploadPackagePayload)" Condition="'%(Extension)' == '.pri' and '%(Filename)' != 'resources'" />
     </ItemGroup>
   </Target>
+
+  <!-- **BEGIN VC LIBS HACK** -->
+  <!--
+    For our release builds, we're just going to integrate the UWPDesktop CRT into our package and delete the package dependencies.
+    It's very difficult for users who do not have access to the store to get our dependency packages, and we want to be robust
+    and deployable everywhere. Since these libraries can be redistributed, it's easiest if we simply redistribute them.
+    See also the "VC LIBS HACK" section in WindowsTerminal.vcxproj.
+  -->
+  <!-- This target removes the FrameworkSdkReferences from before the AppX package targets manifest generation happens.
+       This is part of the generic machinery that applies to every AppX. -->
+  <Target Name="_OpenConsoleStripAllDependenciesFromPackageFirstManifest" BeforeTargets="_GenerateCurrentProjectAppxManifest">
+    <ItemGroup Condition="'$(WindowsTerminalReleaseBuild)'=='true'">
+      <FrameworkSdkReference Remove="@(FrameworkSdkReference)" />
+    </ItemGroup>
+  </Target>
+
+  <!-- This target removes the FrameworkSdkPackages from before the *desktop bridge* manifest generation happens. -->
+  <Target Name="_OpenConsoleStripAllDependenciesFromPackageSecondManifest" BeforeTargets="_GenerateDesktopBridgeAppxManifest" DependsOnTargets="_ResolveVCLibDependencies">
+    <ItemGroup Condition="'$(WindowsTerminalReleaseBuild)'=='true'">
+      <FrameworkSdkPackage Remove="@(FrameworkSdkPackage)" />
+    </ItemGroup>
+  </Target>
+  <!-- **END VC LIBS HACK** -->
+
   <!-- This is required to get the package dependency in the AppXManifest. -->
   <Import Project="..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.3.191217003-prerelease\build\native\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\packages\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.2.3.191217003-prerelease\build\native\Microsoft.UI.Xaml.targets')" />
   <Target Name="EnsureNuGetPackageBuildImports" BeforeTargets="PrepareForBuild">
diff --git a/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/WindowsTerminal.vcxproj b/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/WindowsTerminal.vcxproj
index 475e19cabe9..dd24b6c3738 100644
--- a/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/WindowsTerminal.vcxproj
+++ b/src/cascadia/WindowsTerminal/WindowsTerminal.vcxproj
@@ -115,6 +115,21 @@
     <Error Condition="!Exists('..\..\..\packages\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.0.2.200324001\build\native\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.targets')" Text="$([System.String]::Format('$(ErrorText)', '..\..\..\packages\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.0.2.200324001\build\native\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.targets'))" />
   </Target>
 
+  <!-- **BEGIN VC LIBS HACK** -->
+  <PropertyGroup>
+    <ReasonablePlatform Condition="'$(Platform)'=='Win32'">x86</ReasonablePlatform>
+    <ReasonablePlatform Condition="'$(ReasonablePlatform)'==''">$(Platform)</ReasonablePlatform>
+  </PropertyGroup>
+
+  <ItemGroup Condition="'$(WindowsTerminalReleaseBuild)'=='true'">
+    <!-- Add all the CRT libs as content -->
+    <_OpenConsoleVCLibToCopy Include="$(VCToolsRedistInstallDir)\$(ReasonablePlatform)\Microsoft.VC142.CRT\*.dll">
+      <TargetPath>%(Filename)%(Extension)</TargetPath>
+    </_OpenConsoleVCLibToCopy>
+  </ItemGroup>
+  <!-- **END VC LIBS HACK** -->
+
+
   <!-- Override GetPackagingOutputs to roll up all our dependencies.
        This ensures that when the WAP packaging project asks what files go into
        the package, we tell it.
@@ -139,9 +154,15 @@
 
     <ItemGroup>
       <PackagingOutputs Include="@(_PackagingOutputsFromOtherProjects)" />
+      <!-- (part of the VC LIBS HACK above) -->
+      <PackagingOutputs Include="@(_OpenConsoleVCLibToCopy)">
+        <ProjectName>$(ProjectName)</ProjectName>
+        <OutputGroup>BuiltProjectOutputGroup</OutputGroup>
+      </PackagingOutputs>
     </ItemGroup>
+
   </Target>
 
   <Import Project="$(OpenConsoleDir)\build\rules\GenerateSxsManifestsFromWinmds.targets" />
   <Import Project="..\..\..\packages\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.0.2.200324001\build\native\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.targets" Condition="Exists('..\..\..\packages\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.0.2.200324001\build\native\Terminal.ThemeHelpers.targets')" />
-</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</Project>