diff --git a/cmake/externals/vcredist/CMakeLists.txt b/cmake/externals/vcredist/CMakeLists.txt
deleted file mode 100644
index ac242cf451..0000000000
--- a/cmake/externals/vcredist/CMakeLists.txt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-if (WIN32)
-  set(EXTERNAL_NAME vcredist)
-  string(TOUPPER ${EXTERNAL_NAME} EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER)
-
-  include(ExternalProject)
-  ExternalProject_Add(
-    ${EXTERNAL_NAME}
-    URL https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=746572
-    CONFIGURE_COMMAND ""
-    BUILD_COMMAND ""
-    INSTALL_COMMAND ""
-    LOG_DOWNLOAD 1
-  )
-
-  # Hide this external target (for ide users)
-  set_target_properties(${EXTERNAL_NAME} PROPERTIES FOLDER "hidden/externals")
-
-  ExternalProject_Get_Property(${EXTERNAL_NAME} SOURCE_DIR)
-
-  set(${EXTERNAL_NAME_UPPER}_PATH ${SOURCE_DIR} CACHE FILEPATH "Location of VC Redistributable")
-endif()
diff --git a/cmake/macros/GenerateInstallers.cmake b/cmake/macros/GenerateInstallers.cmake
index 20ab32bf62..702636dd01 100644
--- a/cmake/macros/GenerateInstallers.cmake
+++ b/cmake/macros/GenerateInstallers.cmake
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ macro(GENERATE_INSTALLERS)
     set(_UNINSTALLER_HEADER_BAD_PATH "${HF_CMAKE_DIR}/installer/uninstaller-header.bmp")
     set(UNINSTALLER_HEADER_IMAGE "")
     fix_path_for_nsis(${_UNINSTALLER_HEADER_BAD_PATH} UNINSTALLER_HEADER_IMAGE)
+
+    # grab the latest VC redist (2017) and add it to the installer, our NSIS template
+    # will call it during the install
+    install(CODE "file(DOWNLOAD https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=746572 \"\${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}/vcredist_x64.exe\")")
   elseif (APPLE)
     # produce a drag and drop DMG on OS X
     set(CPACK_GENERATOR "DragNDrop")