diff --git a/lib/config-win32.h b/lib/config-win32.h
index 62bbedcaa..ef6020ab5 100644
--- a/lib/config-win32.h
+++ b/lib/config-win32.h
@@ -502,26 +502,30 @@
 #  endif
 #endif
 
-/* Officially, Microsoft's Windows SDK versions 6.X do not support Windows
-   2000 as a supported build target. VS2008 default installations provide
-   an embedded Windows SDK v6.0A along with the claim that Windows 2000 is
-   a valid build target for VS2008. Popular belief is that binaries built
-   with VS2008 using Windows SDK versions 6.X and Windows 2000 as a build
-   target are functional. */
-#if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER >= 1500)
+/* Define some minimum and default build targets for Visual Studio */
+#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+   /* Officially, Microsoft's Windows SDK versions 6.X does not support Windows
+      2000 as a supported build target. VS2008 default installations provides
+      an embedded Windows SDK v6.0A along with the claim that Windows 2000 is a
+      valid build target for VS2008. Popular belief is that binaries built with
+      VS2008 using Windows SDK versions v6.X and Windows 2000 as a build target
+      are functional. */
 #  define VS2008_MIN_TARGET 0x0500
-#endif
 
-/* When no build target is specified VS2008 default build target is Windows
-   Vista, which leaves out even Winsows XP. If no build target has been given
-   for VS2008 we will target the minimum Officially supported build target,
-   which happens to be Windows XP. */
-#if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER >= 1500)
+   /* The minimum build target for VS2012 is Vista unless Update 1 is installed
+      and the v110_xp toolset is choosen. */
+#  define VS2012_MIN_TARGET 0x0600
+
+   /* VS2008 default build target is Windows Vista. We override default target
+      to be Windows XP. */
 #  define VS2008_DEF_TARGET  0x0501
+
+   /* VS2012 default build target is Windows Vista. */
+#  define VS2012_DEF_TARGET  0x0600
 #endif
 
 /* VS2008 default target settings and minimum build target check. */
-#if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER >= 1500)
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER >= 1500) && (_MSC_VER <= 1600)
 #  ifndef _WIN32_WINNT
 #    define _WIN32_WINNT VS2008_DEF_TARGET
 #  endif
@@ -533,6 +537,19 @@
 #  endif
 #endif
 
+/* VS2012 default target settings and minimum build target check. */
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER >= 1700)
+#  ifndef _WIN32_WINNT
+#    define _WIN32_WINNT VS2012_DEF_TARGET
+#  endif
+#  ifndef WINVER
+#    define WINVER VS2012_DEF_TARGET
+#  endif
+#  if (_WIN32_WINNT < VS2012_MIN_TARGET) || (WINVER < VS2012_MIN_TARGET)
+#    error VS2012 does not support Windows build targets prior to Windows Vista
+#  endif
+#endif
+
 /* When no build target is specified Pelles C 5.00 and later default build
    target is Windows Vista. We override default target to be Windows 2000. */
 #if defined(__POCC__) && (__POCC__ >= 500)