diff --git a/eng/native/configurecompiler.cmake b/eng/native/configurecompiler.cmake
index 4f25f3969440c..359dc03e81323 100644
--- a/eng/native/configurecompiler.cmake
+++ b/eng/native/configurecompiler.cmake
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/configureoptimization.cmake)
 #-----------------------------------------------------
 
 if(MSVC)
-    add_compile_options(/Zi /FC)
+    add_compile_options(/Zi /FC /Zc:strictStrings)
 elseif (CLR_CMAKE_HOST_UNIX)
     add_compile_options(-g)
     add_compile_options(-Wall)
diff --git a/src/coreclr/CMakeLists.txt b/src/coreclr/CMakeLists.txt
index 7da7ba35ae7cc..2febff3dd8869 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/coreclr/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ endif (CLR_CMAKE_HOST_WIN32)
 
 if(MSVC)
   set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_LIBRARIES "") # do not link against standard win32 libs i.e. kernel32, uuid, user32, etc.
-  add_compile_options(/Zc:strictStrings)
   if (CLR_CMAKE_HOST_ARCH_I386)
     add_compile_options(/Gz)
   endif (CLR_CMAKE_HOST_ARCH_I386)
diff --git a/src/coreclr/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/src/coreclr/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index c0d0759979a86..e98047c3a4452 100644
--- a/src/coreclr/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/coreclr/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ include(${CLR_ENG_NATIVE_DIR}/configurecompiler.cmake)
 set(INC_PLATFORM_DIR ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/src/Common/Platform)
 if (CLR_CMAKE_TARGET_WIN32)
     add_definitions(-DWINDOWS)
-    add_compile_options(/Zc:strictStrings)
     if (CLR_CMAKE_HOST_ARCH_I386)
         add_compile_options(/Gz)
     endif (CLR_CMAKE_HOST_ARCH_I386)
diff --git a/src/installer/corehost/cli/hostmisc/pal.windows.cpp b/src/installer/corehost/cli/hostmisc/pal.windows.cpp
index 63ffbc0b4fef2..0cb6d2f91d9e9 100644
--- a/src/installer/corehost/cli/hostmisc/pal.windows.cpp
+++ b/src/installer/corehost/cli/hostmisc/pal.windows.cpp
@@ -227,9 +227,9 @@ static
 bool get_wow_mode_program_files(pal::string_t* recv)
 {
 #if defined(TARGET_AMD64)
-    pal::char_t* env_key = _X("ProgramFiles(x86)");
+    const pal::char_t* env_key = _X("ProgramFiles(x86)");
 #else
-    pal::char_t* env_key = _X("ProgramFiles");
+    const pal::char_t* env_key = _X("ProgramFiles");
 #endif
 
     return get_file_path_from_env(env_key,recv);
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ bool pal::get_default_installation_dir(pal::string_t* recv)
     }
     //  ***************************
 
-    pal::char_t* program_files_dir;
+    const pal::char_t* program_files_dir;
     if (pal::is_running_in_wow64())
     {
         program_files_dir = _X("ProgramFiles(x86)");
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ bool pal::get_default_installation_dir(pal::string_t* recv)
 
 namespace
 {
-    void get_dotnet_install_location_registry_path(HKEY * key_hive, pal::string_t * sub_key, pal::char_t ** value)
+    void get_dotnet_install_location_registry_path(HKEY * key_hive, pal::string_t * sub_key, const pal::char_t ** value)
     {
         *key_hive = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
         // The registry search occurs in the 32-bit registry in all cases.
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ bool pal::get_dotnet_self_registered_config_location(pal::string_t* recv)
 #else
     HKEY key_hive;
     pal::string_t sub_key;
-    pal::char_t* value;
+    const pal::char_t* value;
     get_dotnet_install_location_registry_path(&key_hive, &sub_key, &value);
 
     *recv = (key_hive == HKEY_CURRENT_USER ? _X("HKCU\\") : _X("HKLM\\")) + sub_key + _X("\\") + value;
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ bool pal::get_dotnet_self_registered_dir(pal::string_t* recv)
 
     HKEY hkeyHive;
     pal::string_t sub_key;
-    pal::char_t* value;
+    const pal::char_t* value;
     get_dotnet_install_location_registry_path(&hkeyHive, &sub_key, &value);
 
     // Must use RegOpenKeyEx to be able to specify KEY_WOW64_32KEY to access the 32-bit registry in all cases.