diff --git a/sys/windows/Makefile.mingw32 b/sys/windows/Makefile.mingw32
index 54f5a6b0e..b79bbfb63 100644
--- a/sys/windows/Makefile.mingw32
+++ b/sys/windows/Makefile.mingw32
@@ -1083,7 +1083,7 @@ $(ONHW)/%.o: $(WCURSES)/%.c $(NHLUAH) | $(ONHW)
 
 $(NHWRES): $(MSWIN)/NetHackW.rc $(MSWIN)/NetHackW.exe.manifest \
 		$(BMPS) $(WAV) $(MSWIN)/NetHack.ico | $(ONHW)
-	$(rc) --include-dir=$(MSWIN) $(RCFLAGS) --input=$< -o$@
+	$(rc) --include-dir=$(MSWIN) $(RCFLAGS) -DVIA_MAKE --input=$< -o$@
 
 $(MSWIN)/tiles.bmp: $(U)tile2bmp.exe $(TILEFILES)
 	$< $@
diff --git a/sys/windows/Makefile.nmake b/sys/windows/Makefile.nmake
index 671d11911..f9e50add2 100644
--- a/sys/windows/Makefile.nmake
+++ b/sys/windows/Makefile.nmake
@@ -1558,7 +1558,7 @@ $(OGUI)NetHackW.res: $(SRC)\tiles.bmp $(MSWIN)\NetHackW.rc $(MSWIN)\NetHack.ico
 	$(MSWIN)\petmark.bmp $(MSWIN)\pilemark.bmp $(MSWIN)\NetHack.ico \
 	$(MSWIN)\rip.bmp $(MSWIN)\splash.bmp $(MSWIN)\NetHackW.exe.manifest $(WAV)
 	@echo Building resource file $@ from $**
-	$(rc) -nologo -r -fo$@ -i$(MSWIN) -i$(SndWavDir) -dNDEBUG $(RCFLAGS) $(MSWIN)\NetHackW.rc
+	$(rc) -nologo -r -fo$@ -i$(MSWIN) -i$(SndWavDir) -dNDEBUG -dVIA_MAKE $(RCFLAGS) $(MSWIN)\NetHackW.rc
 
 $(OTTY)console.res: $(MSWSYS)\console.rc $(MSWSYS)\NetHack.ico $(WAV)
 	@echo Building resource file $@ from $**
diff --git a/win/win32/NetHackW.rc b/win/win32/NetHackW.rc
index 50267a120..6d3a3ee97 100644
--- a/win/win32/NetHackW.rc
+++ b/win/win32/NetHackW.rc
@@ -455,12 +455,14 @@ sa2_xpleveldown WAVE "sa2_xpleveldown.wav"
 sa2_xplevelup WAVE "sa2_xplevelup.wav"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef VIA_MAKE
 #ifndef ID_MANIFEST
 #define ID_MANIFEST 1
 #endif
 #ifndef RT_MANIFEST
 #define RT_MANIFEST MAKEINTRESOURCE(24)
 #endif
+#endif
 
 ID_MANIFEST RT_MANIFEST "NetHackW.exe.manifest"