diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0296a4030..6fbc42fb7 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -275,9 +275,6 @@ if (APPLE)
         "${APP_BUNDLE_DIR}/Contents/Resources/OpenMW.icns" COPYONLY)
 endif (APPLE)
 
-# Set up DEBUG define
-set_directory_properties(PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS_DEBUG DEBUG=1)
-
 if (NOT APPLE)
     set(OPENMW_MYGUI_FILES_ROOT ${OpenMW_BINARY_DIR})
     set(OPENMW_SHADERS_ROOT ${OpenMW_BINARY_DIR})
@@ -607,7 +604,7 @@ if (WIN32)
     if (USE_DEBUG_CONSOLE AND BUILD_OPENMW)
       set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS_DEBUG "/SUBSYSTEM:CONSOLE")
       set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS_RELWITHDEBINFO "/SUBSYSTEM:CONSOLE")
-      set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS_DEBUG "_CONSOLE")
+      set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS $<$<CONFIG:Debug>:_CONSOLE>)
     elseif (BUILD_OPENMW)
       # Turn off debug console, debug output will be written to visual studio output instead
       set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS_DEBUG "/SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS")
@@ -617,7 +614,6 @@ if (WIN32)
     if (BUILD_OPENMW)
         # Release builds don't use the debug console
         set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS_RELEASE "/SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS")
-        set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS_RELEASE "_WINDOWS")
         set_target_properties(openmw PROPERTIES LINK_FLAGS_MINSIZEREL "/SUBSYSTEM:WINDOWS")
     endif()
 
diff --git a/apps/openmw/main.cpp b/apps/openmw/main.cpp
index 176adfad0..7c39a785e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/main.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/main.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include "engine.hpp"
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
-// For OutputDebugString
 #ifndef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
 #define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
 #endif
diff --git a/components/debug/debugging.hpp b/components/debug/debugging.hpp
index f47f58e45..361f321cb 100644
--- a/components/debug/debugging.hpp
+++ b/components/debug/debugging.hpp
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ namespace Debug
     };
 
 #if defined(_WIN32) && defined(_DEBUG)
+#ifndef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN 1
+#endif // !WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#include <Windows.h>
     class DebugOutput : public DebugOutputBase
     {
     public: