diff --git a/include/pqxx/binarystring.hxx b/include/pqxx/binarystring.hxx
index 780cd6e..50865d3 100644
--- a/include/pqxx/binarystring.hxx
+++ b/include/pqxx/binarystring.hxx
@@ -65,31 +65,31 @@ public:
   using const_iterator = const_pointer;
   using const_reverse_iterator = std::reverse_iterator<const_iterator>;
 
-  [[deprecated("Use std::byte for binary data.")]] binarystring(
-    binarystring const &) = default;
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use std::byte for binary data.")
+  binarystring(binarystring const &) = default;
 
   /// Read and unescape bytea field.
   /** The field will be zero-terminated, even if the original bytea field
    * isn't.
    * @param F the field to read; must be a bytea field
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use std::byte for binary data.")]] explicit binarystring(
-    field const &);
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use std::byte for binary data.")
+  explicit binarystring(field const &);
 
   /// Copy binary data from std::string_view on binary data.
   /** This is inefficient in that it copies the data to a buffer allocated on
    * the heap.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use std::byte for binary data.")]] explicit binarystring(
-    std::string_view);
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use std::byte for binary data.")
+  explicit binarystring(std::string_view);
 
   /// Copy binary data of given length straight out of memory.
-  [[deprecated("Use std::byte for binary data.")]] binarystring(
-    void const *, std::size_t);
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use std::byte for binary data.")
+  binarystring(void const *, std::size_t);
 
   /// Efficiently wrap a buffer of binary data in a @c binarystring.
-  [[deprecated("Use std::byte for binary data.")]] binarystring(
-    std::shared_ptr<value_type> ptr, size_type size) :
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use std::byte for binary data.")
+  binarystring(std::shared_ptr<value_type> ptr, size_type size) :
           m_buf{std::move(ptr)}, m_size{size}
   {}
 
diff --git a/include/pqxx/compiler-public.hxx b/include/pqxx/compiler-public.hxx
index 08d7ac9..8f01755 100644
--- a/include/pqxx/compiler-public.hxx
+++ b/include/pqxx/compiler-public.hxx
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@
 // Workarounds for Microsoft Visual C++
 #  ifdef _MSC_VER
 
+// Workarounds for deprecated attribute syntax error in Visual Studio 2017.
+#    if _MSC_VER < 1920
+#      define PQXX_DEPRECATED(MESSAGE) __declspec(deprecated(#      MESSAGE))
+#    endif
+
 // Suppress vtables on abstract classes.
 #    define PQXX_NOVTABLE __declspec(novtable)
 
@@ -112,4 +117,8 @@
 #  define PQXX_NOVTABLE
 #endif
 
+#ifndef PQXX_DEPRECATED
+#  define PQXX_DEPRECATED(MESSAGE) [[deprecated(#  MESSAGE)]]
+#endif
+
 #endif
diff --git a/include/pqxx/largeobject.hxx b/include/pqxx/largeobject.hxx
index 072a490..40ab51b 100644
--- a/include/pqxx/largeobject.hxx
+++ b/include/pqxx/largeobject.hxx
@@ -36,20 +36,20 @@ public:
 
   /// Refer to a nonexistent large object (similar to what a null pointer
   /// does).
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobject() noexcept = default;
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.") largeobject() noexcept = default;
 
   /// Create new large object.
   /** @param t Backend transaction in which the object is to be created.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] explicit largeobject(dbtransaction &t);
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.") explicit largeobject(dbtransaction &t);
 
   /// Wrap object with given oid.
   /** Convert combination of a transaction and object identifier into a
    * large object identity.  Does not affect the database.
    * @param o Object identifier for the given object.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] explicit largeobject(oid o) noexcept :
-          m_id{o}
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  explicit largeobject(oid o) noexcept : m_id{o}
   {}
 
   /// Import large object from a local file.
@@ -57,16 +57,16 @@ public:
    * @param t Backend transaction in which the large object is to be created.
    * @param file A filename on the client program's filesystem.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobject(
-    dbtransaction &t, std::string_view file);
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  largeobject(dbtransaction &t, std::string_view file);
 
   /// Take identity of an opened large object.
   /** Copy identity of already opened large object.  Note that this may be done
    * as an implicit conversion.
    * @param o Already opened large object to copy identity from.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobject(
-    largeobjectaccess const &o) noexcept;
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  largeobject(largeobjectaccess const &o) noexcept;
 
   /// Object identifier.
   /** The number returned by this function identifies the large object in the
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ public:
    * @param mode Access mode, defaults to ios_base::in | ios_base::out |
    * ios_base::binary.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] explicit largeobjectaccess(
-    dbtransaction &t, openmode mode = default_mode);
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  explicit largeobjectaccess(dbtransaction &t, openmode mode = default_mode);
 
   /// Open large object with given oid.
   /** Convert combination of a transaction and object identifier into a
@@ -190,8 +190,8 @@ public:
    * @param mode Access mode, defaults to ios_base::in | ios_base::out |
    * ios_base::binary.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobjectaccess(
-    dbtransaction &t, oid o, openmode mode = default_mode);
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  largeobjectaccess(dbtransaction &t, oid o, openmode mode = default_mode);
 
   /// Open given large object.
   /** Open a large object with the given identity for reading and/or writing.
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ public:
    * @param mode Access mode, defaults to ios_base::in | ios_base::out |
    * ios_base::binary.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobjectaccess(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  largeobjectaccess(
     dbtransaction &t, largeobject o, openmode mode = default_mode);
 
   /// Import large object from a local file and open it.
@@ -209,7 +210,8 @@ public:
    * @param file A filename on the client program's filesystem.
    * @param mode Access mode, defaults to ios_base::in | ios_base::out.
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobjectaccess(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  largeobjectaccess(
     dbtransaction &t, std::string_view file, openmode mode = default_mode);
 
   ~largeobjectaccess() noexcept { close(); }
@@ -386,7 +388,8 @@ public:
   static constexpr auto default_mode{
     std::ios::in | std::ios::out | std::ios::binary};
 
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobject_streambuf(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  largeobject_streambuf(
     dbtransaction &t, largeobject o, openmode mode = default_mode,
     size_type buf_size = 512) :
           m_bufsize{buf_size}, m_obj{t, o, mode}, m_g{nullptr}, m_p{nullptr}
@@ -394,7 +397,8 @@ public:
     initialize(mode);
   }
 
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] largeobject_streambuf(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  largeobject_streambuf(
     dbtransaction &t, oid o, openmode mode = default_mode,
     size_type buf_size = 512) :
           m_bufsize{buf_size}, m_obj{t, o, mode}, m_g{nullptr}, m_p{nullptr}
@@ -556,7 +560,8 @@ public:
    * @param o Large object to access.
    * @param buf_size Size of buffer to use internally (optional).
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] basic_ilostream(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  basic_ilostream(
     dbtransaction &t, largeobject o, largeobject::size_type buf_size = 512) :
           super{nullptr},
           m_buf{t, o, std::ios::in | std::ios::binary, buf_size}
@@ -570,7 +575,8 @@ public:
    * @param o Identifier of a large object to access.
    * @param buf_size Size of buffer to use internally (optional).
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] basic_ilostream(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  basic_ilostream(
     dbtransaction &t, oid o, largeobject::size_type buf_size = 512) :
           super{nullptr},
           m_buf{t, o, std::ios::in | std::ios::binary, buf_size}
@@ -612,7 +618,8 @@ public:
    * @param o a large object to access.
    * @param buf_size size of buffer to use internally (optional).
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] basic_olostream(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  basic_olostream(
     dbtransaction &t, largeobject o, largeobject::size_type buf_size = 512) :
           super{nullptr},
           m_buf{t, o, std::ios::out | std::ios::binary, buf_size}
@@ -626,7 +633,8 @@ public:
    * @param o a large object to access.
    * @param buf_size size of buffer to use internally (optional).
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] basic_olostream(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  basic_olostream(
     dbtransaction &t, oid o, largeobject::size_type buf_size = 512) :
           super{nullptr},
           m_buf{t, o, std::ios::out | std::ios::binary, buf_size}
@@ -682,7 +690,8 @@ public:
    * @param o Large object to access.
    * @param buf_size Size of buffer to use internally (optional).
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] basic_lostream(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  basic_lostream(
     dbtransaction &t, largeobject o, largeobject::size_type buf_size = 512) :
           super{nullptr},
           m_buf{
@@ -697,7 +706,8 @@ public:
    * @param o Large object to access.
    * @param buf_size Size of buffer to use internally (optional).
    */
-  [[deprecated("Use blob instead.")]] basic_lostream(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use blob instead.")
+  basic_lostream(
     dbtransaction &t, oid o, largeobject::size_type buf_size = 512) :
           super{nullptr},
           m_buf{
diff --git a/include/pqxx/stream_from.hxx b/include/pqxx/stream_from.hxx
index 7d05966..2e484bb 100644
--- a/include/pqxx/stream_from.hxx
+++ b/include/pqxx/stream_from.hxx
@@ -128,21 +128,23 @@ public:
     Columns const &columns);
 
   /// @deprecated Use the @c from_table_t overload instead.
-  [[deprecated("Use the from_table_t overload instead.")]] stream_from(
-    transaction_base &tx, std::string_view table) :
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use the from_table_t overload instead.")
+  stream_from(transaction_base &tx, std::string_view table) :
           stream_from{tx, from_table, table}
   {}
 
   /// @deprecated Use the @c from_table_t overload instead.
   template<typename Columns>
-  [[deprecated("Use the from_table_t overload instead.")]] stream_from(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use the from_table_t overload instead.")
+  stream_from(
     transaction_base &tx, std::string_view table, Columns const &columns) :
           stream_from{tx, from_table, table, columns}
   {}
 
   /// @deprecated Use the @c from_table_t overload instead.
   template<typename Iter>
-  [[deprecated("Use the from_table_t overload instead.")]] stream_from(
+  PQXX_DEPRECATED("Use the from_table_t overload instead.")
+  stream_from(
     transaction_base &, std::string_view table, Iter columns_begin,
     Iter columns_end);
   //@}