diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/windowshacks.h b/libraries/shared/src/windowshacks.h
index fcd2f5a7f2..3fd9d29fb3 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/windowshacks.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/windowshacks.h
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@
 #define hifi_windowshacks_h
 
 #ifdef WIN32
+// apparently needed to get M_PI and other defines from cmath/math.h
+#define _USE_MATH_DEFINES
+// needed to make sure windows doesn't go to crazy with its defines
+#define WINDOWS_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+
 #undef NOMINMAX
 
 #include <cmath>