diff --git a/src/util/u_thread.h b/src/util/u_thread.h
index d06ff6beddb..7d50e5ca87a 100644
--- a/src/util/u_thread.h
+++ b/src/util/u_thread.h
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@
 #if DETECT_OS_LINUX && !defined(ANDROID)
 #include <sched.h>
 #elif defined(_WIN32) && !defined(__CYGWIN__) && _WIN32_WINNT >= 0x0600
+#ifndef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN 1
+#endif
 #include <windows.h>
 #endif