diff --git a/include/ncconfigure.h b/include/ncconfigure.h
index 54cb3a803..cfe20b312 100644
--- a/include/ncconfigure.h
+++ b/include/ncconfigure.h
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ defined and missing types defined.
 extern char* strdup(const char*);
 #endif
 
+/*
 #ifndef HAVE_SSIZE_T
-#define ssize_t long
+typedef long ssize_t;
+#define HAVE_SSIZE_T
 #endif
-
+*/
 /* handle null arguments */
 #ifndef nulldup
 #ifdef HAVE_STRDUP
@@ -39,6 +41,13 @@ char *nulldup(const char* s);
 #endif
 #endif
 
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+#ifndef HAVE_SSIZE_T
+#include <basetsd.h>
+typedef SSIZE_T ssize_t;
+#endif
+#endif
+
 #ifndef HAVE_STRLCAT
 #ifdef _MSC_VER
 /* Windows strlcat_s is equivalent to strlcat, but different arg order */