diff --git a/strings/base_activation.h b/strings/base_activation.h
index bb6be5ca1..6a44a2e2f 100644
--- a/strings/base_activation.h
+++ b/strings/base_activation.h
@@ -30,69 +30,63 @@ namespace winrt::impl
 
         if (hr == impl::error_not_initialized)
         {
-            auto usage = reinterpret_cast<int32_t(__stdcall*)(void** cookie) noexcept>(WINRT_IMPL_GetProcAddress(load_library(L"combase.dll"), "CoIncrementMTAUsage"));
-
-            if (!usage)
-            {
-                return hr;
-            }
-
             void* cookie;
-            usage(&cookie);
+            WINRT_IMPL_CoIncrementMTAUsage(&cookie);
             hr = WINRT_IMPL_RoGetActivationFactory(*(void**)(&name), guid, result);
         }
 
-        if (hr == 0)
+#ifdef WINRT_REG_FREE
+        if (hr != 0)
         {
-            return 0;
-        }
+            com_ptr<IErrorInfo> error_info;
+            WINRT_IMPL_GetErrorInfo(0, error_info.put_void());
 
-        com_ptr<IErrorInfo> error_info;
-        WINRT_IMPL_GetErrorInfo(0, error_info.put_void());
+            std::wstring path{ static_cast<hstring const&>(name) };
+            std::size_t count{};
 
-        std::wstring path{ static_cast<hstring const&>(name) };
-        std::size_t count{};
+            while (std::wstring::npos != (count = path.rfind('.')))
+            {
+                path.resize(count);
+                path += L".dll";
+                library_handle library(load_library(path.c_str()));
+                path.resize(path.size() - 4);
 
-        while (std::wstring::npos != (count = path.rfind('.')))
-        {
-            path.resize(count);
-            path += L".dll";
-            library_handle library(load_library(path.c_str()));
-            path.resize(path.size() - 4);
+                if (!library)
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
 
-            if (!library)
-            {
-                continue;
-            }
+                auto library_call = reinterpret_cast<int32_t(__stdcall*)(void* classId, void** factory)>(WINRT_IMPL_GetProcAddress(library.get(), "DllGetActivationFactory"));
 
-            auto library_call = reinterpret_cast<int32_t(__stdcall*)(void* classId, void** factory)>(WINRT_IMPL_GetProcAddress(library.get(), "DllGetActivationFactory"));
+                if (!library_call)
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
 
-            if (!library_call)
-            {
-                continue;
-            }
+                com_ptr<abi_t<Windows::Foundation::IActivationFactory>> library_factory;
 
-            com_ptr<abi_t<Windows::Foundation::IActivationFactory>> library_factory;
+                if (0 != library_call(*(void**)(&name), library_factory.put_void()))
+                {
+                    continue;
+                }
 
-            if (0 != library_call(*(void**)(&name), library_factory.put_void()))
-            {
-                continue;
+                if constexpr (isSameInterfaceAsIActivationFactory)
+                {
+                    *result = library_factory.detach();
+                    library.detach();
+                    return 0;
+                }
+                else if (0 == library_factory.as(guid, result))
+                {
+                    library.detach();
+                    return 0;
+                }
             }
 
-            if constexpr (isSameInterfaceAsIActivationFactory)
-            {
-                *result = library_factory.detach();
-                library.detach();
-                return 0;
-            }
-            else if (0 == library_factory.as(guid, result))
-            {
-                library.detach();
-                return 0;
-            }
+            WINRT_IMPL_SetErrorInfo(0, error_info.get());
         }
+#endif
 
-        WINRT_IMPL_SetErrorInfo(0, error_info.get());
         return hr;
     }
 
diff --git a/strings/base_extern.h b/strings/base_extern.h
index 92872d416..dfd879c3f 100644
--- a/strings/base_extern.h
+++ b/strings/base_extern.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ extern "C"
     int32_t __stdcall WINRT_IMPL_GetErrorInfo(uint32_t reserved, void** info) noexcept WINRT_IMPL_LINK(GetErrorInfo, 8);
     int32_t __stdcall WINRT_IMPL_CoInitializeEx(void*, uint32_t type) noexcept WINRT_IMPL_LINK(CoInitializeEx, 8);
     void    __stdcall WINRT_IMPL_CoUninitialize() noexcept WINRT_IMPL_LINK(CoUninitialize, 0);
+    int32_t __stdcall WINRT_IMPL_CoIncrementMTAUsage(void** cookie) noexcept WINRT_IMPL_LINK(CoIncrementMTAUsage, 4);
 
     int32_t  __stdcall WINRT_IMPL_CoCreateFreeThreadedMarshaler(void* outer, void** marshaler) noexcept WINRT_IMPL_LINK(CoCreateFreeThreadedMarshaler, 8);
     int32_t  __stdcall WINRT_IMPL_CoCreateInstance(winrt::guid const& clsid, void* outer, uint32_t context, winrt::guid const& iid, void** object) noexcept WINRT_IMPL_LINK(CoCreateInstance, 20);
diff --git a/test/old_tests/UnitTests/pch.h b/test/old_tests/UnitTests/pch.h
index 4b940b552..6b146a3bc 100644
--- a/test/old_tests/UnitTests/pch.h
+++ b/test/old_tests/UnitTests/pch.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN 
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#define WINRT_REG_FREE
 #define WINRT_NATVIS
 #define _SILENCE_CXX17_UNCAUGHT_EXCEPTION_DEPRECATION_WARNING
 
diff --git a/test/test/pch.h b/test/test/pch.h
index 24d65c225..b2392e14a 100644
--- a/test/test/pch.h
+++ b/test/test/pch.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "mingw_com_support.h"
 
 #define WINRT_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#define WINRT_REG_FREE
 #include <unknwn.h>
 #include "winrt/Windows.Foundation.Collections.h"
 #include "winrt/Windows.Foundation.Numerics.h"
diff --git a/test/test_fast/pch.h b/test/test_fast/pch.h
index 97769b358..11dbff990 100644
--- a/test/test_fast/pch.h
+++ b/test/test_fast/pch.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#define WINRT_REG_FREE
 #include "catch.hpp"
 #include "winrt/Windows.Foundation.Collections.h"
 
diff --git a/test/test_slow/pch.h b/test/test_slow/pch.h
index 97769b358..11dbff990 100644
--- a/test/test_slow/pch.h
+++ b/test/test_slow/pch.h
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#define WINRT_REG_FREE
 #include "catch.hpp"
 #include "winrt/Windows.Foundation.Collections.h"