diff --git a/src/include/port/win32/sys/socket.h b/src/include/port/win32/sys/socket.h
index 86950699e4..c9798060d6 100644
--- a/src/include/port/win32/sys/socket.h
+++ b/src/include/port/win32/sys/socket.h
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
  *
  * Note: Don't include <wingdi.h> directly.  It causes compile errors.
  */
+#include <ws2tcpip.h>
 #include <winsock2.h>
 #undef ERROR
 #undef small
@@ -13,4 +14,11 @@
 #ifdef PGERROR
 #define ERROR PGERROR
 
+/* 
+ * we can't use the windows gai_strerror{AW} functions because
+ * they are defined inline in the MS header files. So we'll use our
+ * own
+ */
+#undef gai_strerror
+
 #endif