diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f2858f82..573cff5e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ cov-int
 
 
 msvc/help.doc
+msvc/*.c
+msvc/*.tmp
 msvc/*.bat
 msvc/*.lsp
 msvc/c/*.[ch]
diff --git a/src/cmp/cmpos-features.lsp b/src/cmp/cmpos-features.lsp
index f6e42db4..e0c9c10c 100644
--- a/src/cmp/cmpos-features.lsp
+++ b/src/cmp/cmpos-features.lsp
@@ -17,7 +17,13 @@
 
 (defun run-and-collect (command args &optional file)
   (handler-case
-      (let ((lines (collect-lines (si:run-program-inner command args :default t))))
+      (let ((output-stream (si:run-program-inner command args :default t))
+            lines)
+        #+msvc
+        (si::stream-external-format-set
+         output-stream
+         (list (si::windows-codepage-encoding) :crlf))
+        (setf lines (collect-lines output-stream))
         (cond ((null file)
                lines)
               ((probe-file file)
@@ -147,12 +153,3 @@ we are currently using with ECL."
 
 (defun update-compiler-features (&rest args)
   (setf *compiler-features* (apply #'gather-system-features args)))
-
-#+ecl-min
-(update-compiler-features
- :executable
- #+(or windows cygwin mingw32) "build:ecl_min.exe"
- #-(or windows cygwin mingw32) "build:ecl_min")
-
-#+ecl-min
-(format t ";;; System features: ~A~%" *compiler-features*)
diff --git a/src/cmp/cmpos-run.lsp b/src/cmp/cmpos-run.lsp
index 4008b3a6..eafcc601 100755
--- a/src/cmp/cmpos-run.lsp
+++ b/src/cmp/cmpos-run.lsp
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@
      #+(and ecl-min (not cygwin))
      (multiple-value-bind (output-stream return-status pid)
          (si:run-program-inner program args :default nil)
+       #+msvc
+       (si::stream-external-format-set output-stream
+                                       (list (si::windows-codepage-encoding) :crlf))
        (setf output (collect-lines output-stream))
        (multiple-value-setq (return-status result)
          (si:waitpid pid t)))
@@ -62,7 +65,9 @@
      ;; quoting of arguments ...
      #+(and (not ecl-min) (not cygwin))
      (multiple-value-bind (output-stream return-status process-obj)
-         (ext:run-program program args :wait nil)
+         (ext:run-program program args :wait nil
+                          #+msvc :external-format
+                          #+msvc (list (si::windows-codepage-encoding) :crlf))
        (setf output (collect-lines output-stream))
        (multiple-value-setq (return-status result)
          (ext:external-process-wait process-obj t)))
diff --git a/src/compile.lsp.in b/src/compile.lsp.in
index 7d0a681c..b5d9c5ed 100755
--- a/src/compile.lsp.in
+++ b/src/compile.lsp.in
@@ -21,6 +21,23 @@
 ;;;
 (load "bare.lsp" :verbose nil)
 
+;;;
+;;; * External formats. These come at the very beginning since msvc needs
+;;;   them to compile correctly.
+;;;
+#+UNICODE
+(load "ext:encodings;generate.lisp")
+
+;;;
+;;; * Find out what features are supported by the C compiler we are using
+;;;
+(progn
+  (c::update-compiler-features
+   :executable
+   #+(or windows cygwin mingw32) "build:ecl_min.exe"
+   #-(or windows cygwin mingw32) "build:ecl_min")
+  (format t "~&;;; System features: ~A~%" c::*compiler-features*))
+
 ;;;
 ;;; * Complain about functions which are not in the core
 ;;;
@@ -312,12 +329,6 @@
               :prefix "EXT"
               :builtin #+:BUILTIN-RT t #-:BUILTIN-RT nil)
 
-;;;
-;;; * External formats
-;;;
-#+UNICODE
-(load "ext:encodings;generate.lisp")
-
 ;;;
 ;;; * Package locks
 ;;;