diff --git a/Files b/Files
index 2974df3bf..a2e10eb35 100644
--- a/Files
+++ b/Files
@@ -273,12 +273,12 @@ stat.h
 
 sys/winnt:
 (files for Windows 7/8.x/10 version)
-Install.nt      Makefile.gcc    Makefile.msc    console.rc
-defaults.nh     nethack.def     nh340key.c      nhdefkey.c
-nhico.uu        nhraykey.c      nhsetup.bat     ntsound.c
-nttty.c         porthelp        stub-pdcscrn.c  stubs.c
-sysconf         win10.c         win10.h         win32api.h
-windmain.c      winnt.c         winos.h
+Install.nt          Makefile.gcc    Makefile.msc    console.rc
+.nethackrc.template nethack.def     nh340key.c      nhdefkey.c
+nhico.uu            nhraykey.c      nhsetup.bat     ntsound.c
+nttty.c             porthelp        stub-pdcscrn.c  stubs.c
+sysconf.template    win10.c         win10.h         win32api.h
+windmain.c          winnt.c         winos.h
 
 util:
 (files for all versions)
diff --git a/include/ntconf.h b/include/ntconf.h
index 725f4c4f0..a135ee420 100644
--- a/include/ntconf.h
+++ b/include/ntconf.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
                      */
 
 #define CONFIG_FILE ".nethackrc"
-#define CONFIG_TEMPLATE ".nethack.template"
+#define CONFIG_TEMPLATE ".nethackrc.template"
 #define SYSCF_TEMPLATE "sysconf.template"
 #define SYMBOLS_TEMPLATE "symbols.template"
 #define GUIDEBOOK_FILE "Guidebook.txt"
diff --git a/sys/winnt/defaults.nh b/sys/winnt/.nethackrc.template
similarity index 100%
rename from sys/winnt/defaults.nh
rename to sys/winnt/.nethackrc.template
diff --git a/sys/winnt/sysconf b/sys/winnt/sysconf.template
similarity index 100%
rename from sys/winnt/sysconf
rename to sys/winnt/sysconf.template
diff --git a/sys/winnt/windmain.c b/sys/winnt/windmain.c
index df2eaff4e..4574e9d1a 100644
--- a/sys/winnt/windmain.c
+++ b/sys/winnt/windmain.c
@@ -305,23 +305,23 @@ void copy_config_content()
     /* Keep templates up to date */
     /* TODO: Update the package to store config file as .nethackrc */
     update_file(fqn_prefix[CONFIGPREFIX], CONFIG_TEMPLATE,
-        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], CONFIG_FILE, FALSE);
+        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], CONFIG_TEMPLATE, FALSE);
     update_file(fqn_prefix[SYSCONFPREFIX], SYSCF_TEMPLATE,
-        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYSCF_FILE, FALSE);
+        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYSCF_TEMPLATE, FALSE);
 
     /* If the required early game file does not exist, copy it */
     /* NOTE: We never replace .nethackrc or sysconf */
     copy_file(fqn_prefix[CONFIGPREFIX], CONFIG_FILE,
-        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], CONFIG_FILE);
+        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], CONFIG_TEMPLATE);
     copy_file(fqn_prefix[SYSCONFPREFIX], SYSCF_FILE,
-        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYSCF_FILE);
+        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYSCF_TEMPLATE);
 
     /* Update symbols and save a copy if we are replacing */
     /* TODO: Can't HACKDIR be changed during option parsing
        causing us to perhaps be checking options against the wrong
        symbols file? */
     update_file(fqn_prefix[HACKPREFIX], SYMBOLS,
-        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYMBOLS, TRUE);
+        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYMBOLS_TEMPLATE, TRUE);
 }
 
 void
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ copy_hack_content()
 
     /* Keep templates up to date */
     update_file(fqn_prefix[HACKPREFIX], SYMBOLS_TEMPLATE,
-        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYMBOLS, FALSE);
+        fqn_prefix[DATAPREFIX], SYMBOLS_TEMPLATE, FALSE);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/win/win32/vs2017/NetHackPackage.wapproj b/win/win32/vs2017/NetHackPackage.wapproj
index daf3091c8..514baa251 100644
--- a/win/win32/vs2017/NetHackPackage.wapproj
+++ b/win/win32/vs2017/NetHackPackage.wapproj
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@
     <Content Include="Images\Wide310x150Logo.scale-125.png" />
     <Content Include="Images\Wide310x150Logo.scale-150.png" />
     <Content Include="Images\Wide310x150Logo.scale-200.png" />
-    <Content Include="$(BinDir)defaults.nh">
-      <Link>NetHackW\defaults.nh</Link>
+    <Content Include="$(BinDir).nethackrc.template">
+      <Link>NetHackW\.nethackrc.template</Link>
     </Content>
     <Content Include="$(BinDir)Guidebook.txt">
       <Link>NetHackW\Guidebook.txt</Link>
@@ -128,11 +128,11 @@
     <Content Include="$(BinDir)opthelp">
       <Link>NetHackW\opthelp</Link>
     </Content>
-    <Content Include="$(BinDir)symbols">
-      <Link>NetHackW\symbols</Link>
+    <Content Include="$(BinDir)symbols.template">
+      <Link>NetHackW\symbols.template</Link>
     </Content>
-    <Content Include="$(BinDir)sysconf">
-      <Link>NetHackW\sysconf</Link>
+    <Content Include="$(BinDir)sysconf.template">
+      <Link>NetHackW\sysconf.template</Link>
     </Content>
     <Content Include="Images\Wide310x150Logo.scale-400.png" />
     <None Include="NetHackPackage_StoreKey.pfx" />
diff --git a/win/win32/vs2017/afternethack.proj b/win/win32/vs2017/afternethack.proj
index 912d75e89..ca39fddfc 100644
--- a/win/win32/vs2017/afternethack.proj
+++ b/win/win32/vs2017/afternethack.proj
@@ -3,13 +3,12 @@
   <Import Project="files.props"/>
   <!-- TODO not copying record -->
   <Target Name="Build"
-	Inputs="$(SysWinntDir)defaults.nh;$(DocDir)Guidebook.txt;$(DatDir)license;$(SysWinntDir)sysconf;$(DocDir)nethack.txt;$(DatDir)symbols;$(WinWin32Dir)record;$(DatDir)opthelp"
-	Outputs="$(BinDir)defaults.nh;$(BinDir)Guidebook.txt;$(BinDir)license;$(BinDir)sysconf;$(BinDir)symbols;$(BinDir)record;$(BinDir)opthelp">
-
-	<Copy SourceFiles="$(SysWinntDir)defaults.nh;$(DocDir)Guidebook.txt;$(DatDir)license;$(SysWinntDir)sysconf;$(DocDir)nethack.txt;$(DatDir)symbols;$(WinWin32Dir)record;$(DatDir)opthelp" DestinationFolder="$(BinDir)"/>
-
-	</Target>
+	Inputs="$(SysWinntDir).nethackrc.template;$(DocDir)Guidebook.txt;$(DatDir)license;$(SysWinntDir)sysconf.template;$(DocDir)nethack.txt;$(DatDir)symbols;$(WinWin32Dir)record;$(DatDir)opthelp"
+	Outputs="$(BinDir).nethackrc.template;$(BinDir)Guidebook.txt;$(BinDir)license;$(BinDir)sysconf.template;$(BinDir)symbols.template;$(BinDir)record;$(BinDir)opthelp">
+    <Copy SourceFiles="$(SysWinntDir).nethackrc.template;$(DocDir)Guidebook.txt;$(DatDir)license;$(SysWinntDir)sysconf.template;$(DocDir)nethack.txt;$(DatDir)symbols;$(WinWin32Dir)record;$(DatDir)opthelp"
+	      DestinationFiles="$(BinDir).nethackrc.template;$(BinDir)Guidebook.txt;$(BinDir)license;$(BinDir)sysconf.template;$(BinDir)nethack.txt;$(BinDir)symbols.template;$(BinDir)record;$(BinDir)opthelp" />
+  </Target>
   <Target Name="Clean">
-	<Delete Files="$(BinDir)defaults.nh;$(BinDir)Guidebook.txt;$(BinDir)license;$(BinDir)sysconf;$(BinDir)nethack.txt;$(BinDir)symbols;$(BinDir)record;$(BinDir)opthelp"/>
+	<Delete Files="$(BinDir).nethackrc.template;$(BinDir)Guidebook.txt;$(BinDir)license;$(BinDir)sysconf.template;$(BinDir)nethack.txt;$(BinDir)symbols.template;$(BinDir)record;$(BinDir)opthelp"/>
   </Target>
 </Project>