diff --git a/src/hb-atomic.hh b/src/hb-atomic.hh
index b95fe5d96..d6dfb0f57 100644
--- a/src/hb-atomic.hh
+++ b/src/hb-atomic.hh
@@ -111,11 +111,17 @@ _hb_atomic_ptr_impl_cmplexch (const void **P, const void *O_, const void *N)
 #endif
 
 
-/* This we always use std::atomic for; and should never be disabled. */
-#include <atomic>
 #ifndef _hb_compiler_memory_r_barrier
+/* This we always use std::atomic for; and should never be disabled...
+ * except that MSVC gives me an internal compiler error on it. */
+#if !defined(_MSC_VER)
+#include <atomic>
 #define _hb_compiler_memory_r_barrier() std::atomic_signal_fence (std::memory_order_acquire)
+#else
+#define _hb_compiler_memory_r_barrier() do {} while (0)
 #endif
+#endif
+
 
 
 #ifndef _hb_memory_r_barrier