diff --git a/outdated/sys/atari/tos.c b/outdated/sys/atari/tos.c
index 3c32891ca..f543419a3 100644
--- a/outdated/sys/atari/tos.c
+++ b/outdated/sys/atari/tos.c
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@
  *  TOS system functions.
  */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 
 #ifdef TTY_GRAPHICS
diff --git a/outdated/sys/os2/os2.c b/outdated/sys/os2/os2.c
index 10a3a38db..2f3e1b924 100644
--- a/outdated/sys/os2/os2.c
+++ b/outdated/sys/os2/os2.c
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
  *  OS/2 system functions.
  */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 
 #ifdef OS2
diff --git a/outdated/sys/wince/celib.c b/outdated/sys/wince/celib.c
index 713f45de6..f20d5d628 100644
--- a/outdated/sys/wince/celib.c
+++ b/outdated/sys/wince/celib.c
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 /* Copyright (C) 2001 by Alex Kompel 	 */
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 #include <fcntl.h>
 // #include "wceconf.h"
diff --git a/sys/msdos/msdos.c b/sys/msdos/msdos.c
index eff5afb45..89bd4fb5d 100644
--- a/sys/msdos/msdos.c
+++ b/sys/msdos/msdos.c
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@
  *  contributed much to the cause.
  */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 
 #ifdef MSDOS
diff --git a/sys/share/pcsys.c b/sys/share/pcsys.c
index c09887305..31d8e5dd9 100644
--- a/sys/share/pcsys.c
+++ b/sys/share/pcsys.c
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
  *  System related functions for MSDOS, OS/2, TOS
  */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 #include "wintty.h"
 
diff --git a/sys/share/pctty.c b/sys/share/pctty.c
index 6b718d66a..54cf3435d 100644
--- a/sys/share/pctty.c
+++ b/sys/share/pctty.c
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 
 /* tty.c - (PC) version */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS /* Uses ... */ /* comment line for pre-compiled headers \
+#endif
                                        */
 #include "hack.h"
 #include "wintty.h"
diff --git a/sys/share/unixtty.c b/sys/share/unixtty.c
index 4e932b748..5832b65fb 100644
--- a/sys/share/unixtty.c
+++ b/sys/share/unixtty.c
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@
  * arnold@ucsf-cgl, wcs@bo95b, cbcephus!pds and others.
  */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 
 /*
diff --git a/sys/vms/vmstty.c b/sys/vms/vmstty.c
index 1ddf5d7b5..c9a904573 100644
--- a/sys/vms/vmstty.c
+++ b/sys/vms/vmstty.c
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 /* NetHack may be freely redistributed.  See license for details. */
 /* tty.c - (VMS) version */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 #include "wintty.h"
 #include "tcap.h"
diff --git a/sys/windows/consoletty.c b/sys/windows/consoletty.c
index ec6c3b665..358535117 100644
--- a/sys/windows/consoletty.c
+++ b/sys/windows/consoletty.c
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef WIN32
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS /* Uses ... */
+#endif
+
 #include "win32api.h"
 #include "winos.h"
 #include "hack.h"
diff --git a/sys/windows/windsys.c b/sys/windows/windsys.c
index af51e9c5b..be55b1dc0 100644
--- a/sys/windows/windsys.c
+++ b/sys/windows/windsys.c
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@
 #include "win10.h"
 #include "winos.h"
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "hack.h"
 #include <dos.h>
 #ifndef __BORLANDC__
diff --git a/util/panic.c b/util/panic.c
index d15bec88c..48c70ebe9 100644
--- a/util/panic.c
+++ b/util/panic.c
@@ -8,7 +8,10 @@
  *      mode for the makedefs / drg code.
  */
 
+#ifndef NEED_VARARGS
 #define NEED_VARARGS
+#endif
+
 #include "config.h"
 
 #ifdef AZTEC