diff --git a/error.hpp b/error.hpp
index 31e1801..d4b4655 100644
--- a/error.hpp
+++ b/error.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #define PNGPP_ERROR_HPP_INCLUDED
 
 /* check if we have strerror_s or strerror_r, prefer the former which is C11 std */
-#ifdef __STDC_LIB_EXT1__
+#if defined(__STDC_LIB_EXT1__) || defined(_WIN32)
 #define __STDC_WANT_LIB_EXT1__ 1
 #include <string.h>