diff --git a/sys/winnt/Makefile.msc b/sys/winnt/Makefile.msc
index fb8cd9b7e..00c5cd99a 100644
--- a/sys/winnt/Makefile.msc
+++ b/sys/winnt/Makefile.msc
@@ -634,7 +634,8 @@ DLB =
 #==========================================
 
 {$(WCURSES)}.c{$(OBJ)}.o:
-	@$(cc) -DPDC_NCMOUSE $(PDCINCL) $(cflagsBuild)  -Fo$@ $<
+	@$(cc) -DPDC_NCMOUSE -DCURSES_DEFINE_ERASE_CHAR \
+            $(PDCINCL) $(cflagsBuild)  -Fo$@ $<
 
 #{$(WCURSES)}.txt{$(DAT)}.txt:
 #	@copy $< $@
diff --git a/win/win32/vs2017/NetHack.vcxproj b/win/win32/vs2017/NetHack.vcxproj
index 5494094fd..9d03bf187 100644
--- a/win/win32/vs2017/NetHack.vcxproj
+++ b/win/win32/vs2017/NetHack.vcxproj
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
   <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="Exists('$(PDCURSES)')">
     <ClCompile>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(PDCURSES);%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>CURSES_GRAPHICS;CHTYPE_32;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>CURSES_GRAPHICS;CHTYPE_32;PDC_NCMOUSE;CURSES_DEFINE_ERASE_CHAR;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalLibraryDirectories>$(ToolsDir)</AdditionalLibraryDirectories>
@@ -267,4 +267,4 @@
   <Target Name="AfterRebuild">
     <MSBuild Projects="afternethack.proj" Targets="Build" Properties="Configuration=$(Configuration)" />
   </Target>
-</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
+</Project>