diff --git a/src/hb-common.cc b/src/hb-common.cc
index 1484bbb2e..a37154579 100644
--- a/src/hb-common.cc
+++ b/src/hb-common.cc
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ struct hb_language_item_t {
   }
 
   inline hb_language_item_t & operator = (const char *s) {
-    lang = (hb_language_t) _strdup (s);
+    lang = (hb_language_t) strdup (s);
     for (unsigned char *p = (unsigned char *) lang; *p; p++)
       *p = canon_map[*p];
 
diff --git a/src/hb-private.hh b/src/hb-private.hh
index 45afc20b1..996d88d29 100644
--- a/src/hb-private.hh
+++ b/src/hb-private.hh
@@ -132,6 +132,9 @@ static int errno = 0; /* Use something better? */
 #  endif
 #  if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER < 1900
 #    define snprintf _snprintf
+#  elif defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER >= 1900
+#    /* Covers VC++ Error for strdup being a deprected POSIX name and to instead use _strdup instead */
+#    define strdup _strdup
 #  endif
 #endif