diff --git a/winbuild/BUILD.WINDOWS.txt b/winbuild/BUILD.WINDOWS.txt
index 757c41f57..7d6b364e2 100644
--- a/winbuild/BUILD.WINDOWS.txt
+++ b/winbuild/BUILD.WINDOWS.txt
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Building with Visual C++, prerequises
 
     http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=12261
 
-   If you wish to support zlib, openssl, ssh2, you will have to download
+   If you wish to support zlib, openssl, c-ares, ssh2, you will have to download
    them separately and copy them to the deps directory as shown below:
    
    somedirectory\
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ where <options> is one or many of:
                                  Libraries can be fetched at http://windows.php.net/downloads/php-sdk/deps/
                                  Uncompress them into the deps folder.
   WITH_SSL=<dll or static>     - Enable OpenSSL support, DLL or static
+  WITH_CARES=<dll or static>   - Enable c-ares support, DLL or static
   WITH_ZLIB=<dll or static>    - Enable zlib support, DLL or static
   WITH_SSH2=<dll or static>    - Enable libSSH2 support, DLL or static
   ENABLE_SSPI=<yes or no>      - Enable SSPI support, defaults to yes
diff --git a/winbuild/Makefile.vc b/winbuild/Makefile.vc
index 6dc58c4ef..21e1614ae 100644
--- a/winbuild/Makefile.vc
+++ b/winbuild/Makefile.vc
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ CFGSET=true
 !MESSAGE                                  Libraries can be fetched at http://pecl2.php.net/downloads/php-windows-builds/
 !MESSAGE                                  Uncompress them into the deps folder.
 !MESSAGE   WITH_SSL=<dll or static>     - Enable OpenSSL support, DLL or static
+!MESSAGE   WITH_CARES=<dll or static>   - Enable c-ares support, DLL or static
 !MESSAGE   WITH_ZLIB=<dll or static>    - Enable zlib support, DLL or static
 !MESSAGE   WITH_SSH2=<dll or static>    - Enable libSSH2 support, DLL or static
 !MESSAGE   ENABLE_IDN=<yes or no>       - Enable use of Windows IDN APIs, defaults to yes
@@ -107,6 +108,14 @@ USE_SSL = true
 SSL     = static
 !ENDIF
 
+!IF "$(WITH_CARES)"=="dll"
+USE_CARES = true
+CARES     = dll
+!ELSEIF "$(WITH_CARES)"=="static"
+USE_CARES = true
+CARES     = static
+!ENDIF
+
 !IF "$(WITH_ZLIB)"=="dll"
 USE_ZLIB = true
 ZLIB     = dll
@@ -141,6 +150,10 @@ CONFIG_NAME_LIB = $(CONFIG_NAME_LIB)-static
 CONFIG_NAME_LIB = $(CONFIG_NAME_LIB)-ssl-$(SSL)
 !ENDIF
 
+!IF "$(USE_CARES)"=="true"
+CONFIG_NAME_LIB = $(CONFIG_NAME_LIB)-cares-$(CARES)
+!ENDIF
+
 !IF "$(USE_ZLIB)"=="true"
 CONFIG_NAME_LIB = $(CONFIG_NAME_LIB)-zlib-$(ZLIB)
 !ENDIF
diff --git a/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc b/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc
index b9e150c43..985c1bcc2 100644
--- a/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc
+++ b/winbuild/MakefileBuild.vc
@@ -121,6 +121,27 @@ SSL          = static
 SSL_CFLAGS   = /DUSE_SSLEAY /I"$(DEVEL_INCLUDE)/openssl"
 !ENDIF
 
+!IF "$(WITH_CARES)"=="dll"
+!IF "$(DEBUG)"=="yes"
+CARES_LIBS     = caresd.lib
+!ELSE
+CARES_LIBS     = cares.lib
+!ENDIF
+USE_CARES      = true
+CARES          = dll
+!ELSEIF "$(WITH_CARES)"=="static"
+!IF "$(DEBUG)"=="yes"
+CARES_LIBS     = libcaresd.lib
+!ELSE
+CARES_LIBS     = libcares.lib
+!ENDIF
+USE_CARES      = true
+CARES          = static
+!ENDIF
+
+!IFDEF USE_CARES
+CARES_CFLAGS   = /DUSE_ARES /I"$(DEVEL_INCLUDE)/cares"
+!ENDIF
 
 !IF "$(WITH_ZLIB)"=="dll"
 ZLIB_LIBS   = zlib.lib
@@ -297,6 +318,11 @@ CFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) $(SSL_CFLAGS)
 LFLAGS = $(LFLAGS) $(SSL_LFLAGS) $(SSL_LIBS)
 !ENDIF
 
+!IF "$(USE_CARES)"=="true"
+CFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) $(CARES_CFLAGS)
+LFLAGS = $(LFLAGS) $(CARES_LFLAGS) $(CARES_LIBS)
+!ENDIF
+
 !IF "$(USE_ZLIB)"=="true"
 CFLAGS = $(CFLAGS) $(ZLIB_CFLAGS)
 LFLAGS = $(LFLAGS) $(ZLIB_LFLAGS) $(ZLIB_LIBS)
@@ -376,6 +402,7 @@ package: $(TARGET)
 
 $(TARGET): $(LIB_OBJS) $(LIB_DIROBJ) $(DISTDIR)
 	@echo Using SSL: $(USE_SSL)
+	@echo Using c-ares: $(USE_CARES)
 	@echo Using SSH2: $(USE_SSH2)
 	@echo Using ZLIB: $(USE_ZLIB)
 	@echo Using IDN:  $(USE_IDN)