diff --git a/samples/minimal_d3d12/build.zig b/samples/minimal_d3d12/build.zig
index d07075f64..ee5d37ed3 100644
--- a/samples/minimal_d3d12/build.zig
+++ b/samples/minimal_d3d12/build.zig
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ const builtin = @import("builtin");
 const std = @import("std");
 
 const Options = @import("../../build.zig").Options;
+const content_dir = "minimal_d3d12_content/";
 
 pub fn build(b: *std.Build, options: Options) *std.Build.Step.Compile {
     const exe = b.addExecutable(.{
@@ -18,10 +19,23 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build, options: Options) *std.Build.Step.Compile {
     });
     exe.root_module.addImport("zwin32", zwin32.module("root"));
 
+    const exe_options = b.addOptions();
+    exe.root_module.addOptions("build_options", exe_options);
+    exe_options.addOption([]const u8, "content_dir", content_dir);
+
+    const install_content_step = b.addInstallDirectory(.{
+        .source_dir = .{ .path = thisDir() ++ "/" ++ content_dir },
+        .install_dir = .{ .custom = "" },
+        .install_subdir = "bin/" ++ content_dir,
+    });
     if (builtin.os.tag == .windows or builtin.os.tag == .linux) {
-        const dxc_step = buildShaders(b);
+        const dxc_step = buildShaders(
+            b,
+        );
         exe.step.dependOn(dxc_step);
+        install_content_step.step.dependOn(dxc_step);
     }
+    exe.step.dependOn(&install_content_step.step);
 
     // This is needed to export symbols from an .exe file.
     // We export D3D12SDKVersion and D3D12SDKPath symbols which
@@ -37,8 +51,8 @@ pub fn build(b: *std.Build, options: Options) *std.Build.Step.Compile {
 fn buildShaders(b: *std.Build) *std.Build.Step {
     const dxc_step = b.step("minimal_d3d12-dxc", "Build shaders for 'minimal d3d12' demo");
 
-    makeDxcCmd(b, dxc_step, "src/minimal_d3d12.hlsl", "vsMain", "minimal_d3d12.vs.cso", "vs", "");
-    makeDxcCmd(b, dxc_step, "src/minimal_d3d12.hlsl", "psMain", "minimal_d3d12.ps.cso", "ps", "");
+    makeDxcCmd(b, dxc_step, "src/minimal_d3d12.hlsl", "vsMain", "../" ++ content_dir ++ "minimal_d3d12.vs.cso", "vs", "");
+    makeDxcCmd(b, dxc_step, "src/minimal_d3d12.hlsl", "psMain", "../" ++ content_dir ++ "minimal_d3d12.ps.cso", "ps", "");
 
     return dxc_step;
 }
diff --git a/samples/minimal_d3d12/minimal_d3d12_content/.gitkeep b/samples/minimal_d3d12/minimal_d3d12_content/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/samples/minimal_d3d12/src/minimal_d3d12.zig b/samples/minimal_d3d12/src/minimal_d3d12.zig
index b63ed443e..fa5d45096 100644
--- a/samples/minimal_d3d12/src/minimal_d3d12.zig
+++ b/samples/minimal_d3d12/src/minimal_d3d12.zig
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ fn createWindow(width: u32, height: u32) w32.HWND {
 }
 
 pub fn main() !void {
+    var gpa = std.heap.GeneralPurposeAllocator(.{}){};
+
     _ = w32.CoInitializeEx(null, w32.COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
     defer w32.CoUninitialize();
 
@@ -97,8 +99,24 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     defer dx12.deinit();
 
     const root_signature: *d3d12.IRootSignature, const pipeline: *d3d12.IPipelineState = blk: {
-        const vs_cso = @embedFile("./minimal_d3d12.vs.cso");
-        const ps_cso = @embedFile("./minimal_d3d12.ps.cso");
+        var arena = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(gpa.allocator());
+        defer arena.deinit();
+
+        const self_exe_dir_path = std.fs.selfExeDirPathAlloc(arena.allocator()) catch unreachable;
+
+        const ps_cso = readVsCode: {
+            const abspath = std.fs.path.join(arena.allocator(), &.{ self_exe_dir_path, "/minimal_d3d12.vs.cso" }) catch unreachable;
+            const vs_file = std.fs.openFileAbsolute(abspath, .{}) catch unreachable;
+            defer vs_file.close();
+            break :readVsCode vs_file.reader().readAllAlloc(arena.allocator(), 256 * 1024) catch unreachable;
+        };
+
+        const vs_cso = readPsCode: {
+            const abspath = std.fs.path.join(arena.allocator(), &.{ self_exe_dir_path, "/minimal_d3d12.ps.cso" }) catch unreachable;
+            const ps_file = std.fs.openFileAbsolute(abspath, .{}) catch unreachable;
+            defer ps_file.close();
+            break :readPsCode ps_file.reader().readAllAlloc(arena.allocator(), 256 * 1024) catch unreachable;
+        };
 
         var pso_desc = d3d12.GRAPHICS_PIPELINE_STATE_DESC.initDefault();
         pso_desc.DepthStencilState.DepthEnable = w32.FALSE;
@@ -106,8 +124,8 @@ pub fn main() !void {
         pso_desc.NumRenderTargets = 1;
         pso_desc.BlendState.RenderTarget[0].RenderTargetWriteMask = 0xf;
         pso_desc.PrimitiveTopologyType = .TRIANGLE;
-        pso_desc.VS = .{ .pShaderBytecode = vs_cso, .BytecodeLength = vs_cso.len };
-        pso_desc.PS = .{ .pShaderBytecode = ps_cso, .BytecodeLength = ps_cso.len };
+        pso_desc.VS = .{ .pShaderBytecode = vs_cso.ptr, .BytecodeLength = vs_cso.len };
+        pso_desc.PS = .{ .pShaderBytecode = ps_cso.ptr, .BytecodeLength = ps_cso.len };
 
         var root_signature: *d3d12.IRootSignature = undefined;
         hrPanicOnFail(dx12.device.CreateRootSignature(