diff --git a/build_msvc/bitcoin_config.h.in b/build_msvc/bitcoin_config.h.in
index 2d6df92286a56..59a9a70230ed1 100644
--- a/build_msvc/bitcoin_config.h.in
+++ b/build_msvc/bitcoin_config.h.in
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@
 /* Define this symbol to enable ZMQ functions */
 #define ENABLE_ZMQ 1
 
+/* Define if external signer support is enabled */
+#define ENABLE_EXTERNAL_SIGNER 1
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the declaration of `fork', and to 0 if you don't.
    */
 #define HAVE_DECL_FORK 0
diff --git a/build_msvc/bitcoind/bitcoind.vcxproj b/build_msvc/bitcoind/bitcoind.vcxproj
index a93723d8be931..fb249ff1cd53d 100644
--- a/build_msvc/bitcoind/bitcoind.vcxproj
+++ b/build_msvc/bitcoind/bitcoind.vcxproj
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
     <ReplaceInFile FilePath="$(ConfigIniOut)"
                   Replace="@ENABLE_ZMQ_TRUE@" By=""></ReplaceInFile>
     <ReplaceInFile FilePath="$(ConfigIniOut)"
-                  Replace="@ENABLE_EXTERNAL_SIGNER_TRUE@" By="#"></ReplaceInFile>
+                  Replace="@ENABLE_EXTERNAL_SIGNER_TRUE@" By=""></ReplaceInFile>
     <ReplaceInFile FilePath="$(ConfigIniOut)"
                   Replace="@ENABLE_USDT_TRACEPOINTS_TRUE@" By="#"></ReplaceInFile>
   </Target>
diff --git a/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj.in b/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj.in
index 950cc37f0a3a6..dc3784daa9c2b 100644
--- a/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj.in
+++ b/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj.in
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
       <AdditionalOptions>/utf-8 /Zc:__cplusplus /std:c++20 %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
       <DisableSpecificWarnings>4018;4244;4267;4715;4805</DisableSpecificWarnings>
       <TreatWarningAsError>true</TreatWarningAsError>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>_SILENCE_CXX17_CODECVT_HEADER_DEPRECATION_WARNING;SECP256K1_STATIC;ZMQ_STATIC;NOMINMAX;WIN32;HAVE_CONFIG_H;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;_CONSOLE;_WIN32_WINNT=0x0601;_WIN32_IE=0x0501;WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>_SILENCE_CXX17_CODECVT_HEADER_DEPRECATION_WARNING;SECP256K1_STATIC;ZMQ_STATIC;NOMINMAX;WIN32;HAVE_CONFIG_H;_CRT_NONSTDC_NO_WARNINGS;_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS;_CONSOLE;_WIN32_WINNT=0x0601;_WIN32_IE=0x0501;WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>..\..\src;..\..\src\minisketch\include;..\..\src\univalue\include;..\..\src\secp256k1\include;..\..\src\leveldb\include;..\..\src\leveldb\helpers\memenv;%(AdditionalIncludeDirectories)</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>