diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fee242fca5..812d07fd9a 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -64,9 +64,11 @@ INCLUDE(ExternalProject)
 #
 # Compiler specific flags
 #
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "-O0 -g")
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO "-O3 -g -DNDEBUG")
-set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3 -DNDEBUG")
+if (NOT MSVC)
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "-O0 -g")
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO "-O3 -g -DNDEBUG")
+  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_RELEASE "-O3 -DNDEBUG")
+endif ()
 message(STATUS "compiler ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID} version ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_VERSION}")
 if (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "Clang")
   set (CXX11_FLAGS "-std=c++11")
@@ -87,16 +89,9 @@ elseif (CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_ID STREQUAL "GNU")
 elseif (MSVC)
   add_definitions (-D_SCL_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS)
   add_definitions (-D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS)
-  # TODO: We assume MSVC debug mode. In the future, set these flags
-  # appropriately for all build mode.
-  set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS_DEBUG} /MTd")
-  set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS_DEBUG} /MTd")
-  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG} /NODEFAULTLIB:libc.lib")
-  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG} /NODEFAULTLIB:libcmt.lib")
-  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG} /NODEFAULTLIB:msvcrt.lib")
-  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG} /NODEFAULTLIB:libcd.lib")
-
-  set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG "${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS_DEBUG} /NODEFAULTLIB:msvcrtd.lib")
+  add_definitions (-D_CRT_NONSTDC_NO_DEPRECATE) # The POSIX name for this item is deprecated
+  set (WARN_FLAGS "${WARN_FLAGS} -wd4521") # multiple copy constructors specified
+  set (WARN_FLAGS "${WARN_FLAGS} -wd4146") # unary minus operator applied to unsigned type, result still unsigned
 endif ()
 
 enable_testing()
diff --git a/c++/src/Adaptor.hh.in b/c++/src/Adaptor.hh.in
index c09fa02272..5d9ea15085 100644
--- a/c++/src/Adaptor.hh.in
+++ b/c++/src/Adaptor.hh.in
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@
   #elif defined(__GNUC__)
     #define DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH _Pragma("GCC diagnostic push")
     #define DIAGNOSTIC_POP _Pragma("GCC diagnostic pop")
+  #elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+    #define DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH __pragma(warning(push))
+    #define DIAGNOSTIC_POP __pragma(warning(pop))
   #else
     #error("Unknown compiler")
   #endif
@@ -79,6 +82,8 @@
   #define DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(XXX) PRAGMA(clang diagnostic ignored XXX)
 #elif defined(__GNUC__)
   #define DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(XXX) PRAGMA(GCC diagnostic ignored XXX)
+#elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+  #define DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(XXX) __pragma(warning(disable : XXX))
 #else
   #define DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(XXX)
 #endif
diff --git a/c++/src/CMakeLists.txt b/c++/src/CMakeLists.txt
index c76f793d37..8254574989 100644
--- a/c++/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/c++/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ CHECK_CXX_SOURCE_COMPILES("
       #pragma GCC diagnostic push
       #pragma GCC diagnostic ignored \"-Wdeprecated\"
       #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
+   #elif defined(_MSC_VER)
+      #pragma warning( push )
+      #pragma warning( disable : 4996 )
+      #pragma warning( pop )
    #else
      unknownCompiler!
    #endif
diff --git a/c++/src/Compression.cc b/c++/src/Compression.cc
index 2f81c5d96e..cb4bcdd237 100644
--- a/c++/src/Compression.cc
+++ b/c++/src/Compression.cc
@@ -266,7 +266,10 @@ namespace orc {
   }
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wold-style-cast")
+
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wold-style-cast")
+#endif
 
   void ZlibCompressionStream::init() {
     strm.zalloc = nullptr;
@@ -370,7 +373,10 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
   };
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wold-style-cast")
+
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wold-style-cast")
+#endif
 
   ZlibDecompressionStream::ZlibDecompressionStream
                    (std::unique_ptr<SeekableInputStream> inStream,
diff --git a/c++/src/wrap/coded-stream-wrapper.h b/c++/src/wrap/coded-stream-wrapper.h
index 07af410d83..605fbf826c 100644
--- a/c++/src/wrap/coded-stream-wrapper.h
+++ b/c++/src/wrap/coded-stream-wrapper.h
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wreserved-id-macro")
 #endif
 
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wconversion")
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wconversion")
+#endif
 
 #include <google/protobuf/io/coded_stream.h>
 
diff --git a/c++/src/wrap/gmock.h b/c++/src/wrap/gmock.h
index cca2a8a980..a130a84fbf 100644
--- a/c++/src/wrap/gmock.h
+++ b/c++/src/wrap/gmock.h
@@ -21,12 +21,15 @@
 #include "Adaptor.hh"
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wmissing-noreturn")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-conversion")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wundef")
+
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wmissing-noreturn")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-conversion")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wundef")
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __clang__
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wnull-dereference")
diff --git a/c++/src/wrap/gtest-wrapper.h b/c++/src/wrap/gtest-wrapper.h
index a14f6c3898..b1bdcc77f7 100644
--- a/c++/src/wrap/gtest-wrapper.h
+++ b/c++/src/wrap/gtest-wrapper.h
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@
 // we need to disable a whole set of warnings as we include gtest.h
 // restore most of the warnings after the file is loaded.
 
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __clang__
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wconversion-null")
@@ -33,11 +35,13 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
 
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wmissing-noreturn")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wundef")
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wmissing-noreturn")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wundef")
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __clang__
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wshift-sign-overflow")
@@ -45,6 +49,11 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wundef")
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wweak-vtables")
 #endif
 
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(4146) // unary minus operator applied to unsigned type, result still unsigned
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(4805) // '==': unsafe mix of type 'const bool' and type 'const int64_t' in operation
+#endif
+
 #include "gtest/gtest.h"
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_POP
diff --git a/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.cc b/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.cc
index 8b10caee44..dd00c9fc06 100644
--- a/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.cc
+++ b/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.cc
@@ -14,13 +14,15 @@
 
 #include "Adaptor.hh"
 
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wconversion")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wignored-qualifiers")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-conversion")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wconversion")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wignored-qualifiers")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-compare")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-conversion")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __clang__
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdisabled-macro-expansion")
@@ -34,4 +36,9 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wzero-as-null-pointer-constant")
 #endif
 
+#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(4146) // unary minus operator applied to unsigned type, result still unsigned
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(4800) // forcing value to bool 'true' or 'false'
+#endif
+
 #include "orc_proto.pb.cc"
diff --git a/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.hh b/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.hh
index 5fc9558e63..f902ffd624 100644
--- a/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.hh
+++ b/c++/src/wrap/orc-proto-wrapper.hh
@@ -18,10 +18,13 @@
 #include "Adaptor.hh"
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wconversion")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-conversion")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
+
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wconversion")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wsign-conversion")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __clang__
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wnested-anon-types")
@@ -32,6 +35,11 @@ DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wzero-as-null-pointer-constant")
 #endif
 
+#if defined(_MSC_VER)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(4146) // unary minus operator applied to unsigned type, result still unsigned
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE(4800) // forcing value to bool 'true' or 'false'
+#endif
+
 #include "orc_proto.pb.h"
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_POP
diff --git a/c++/src/wrap/zero-copy-stream-wrapper.h b/c++/src/wrap/zero-copy-stream-wrapper.h
index 6f03113e0d..1af0bd002d 100644
--- a/c++/src/wrap/zero-copy-stream-wrapper.h
+++ b/c++/src/wrap/zero-copy-stream-wrapper.h
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@
 
 DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
 
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
-DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
+#if defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__clang__)
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wdeprecated")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wpadded")
+  DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wunused-parameter")
+#endif
 
 #ifdef __clang__
   DIAGNOSTIC_IGNORE("-Wreserved-id-macro")