diff --git a/include/wx/defs.h b/include/wx/defs.h
index deb2a98a5c..ea4f1efbdc 100644
--- a/include/wx/defs.h
+++ b/include/wx/defs.h
@@ -79,12 +79,18 @@
 #       pragma warning(disable:4702)    /* unreachable code */
 #   endif
 
-/* Deprecated functions such as sprintf, localtime */
-#if __VISUALC__ >= 1400
-#define _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE 1
-#define _CRT_NON_CONFORMING_SWPRINTFS 1
-#endif
-
+    /*
+       VC++ 8 gives a warning when using standard functions such as sprintf,
+       localtime, ... -- stop this madness, unless the user had already done it
+     */
+    #if __VISUALC__ >= 1400
+        #ifndef _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE
+            #define _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE 1
+        #endif
+        #ifndef _CRT_NON_CONFORMING_SWPRINTFS
+            #define _CRT_NON_CONFORMING_SWPRINTFS 1
+        #endif
+    #endif /* VC++ 8 */
 #endif /*  __VISUALC__ */
 
 /*  suppress some Salford C++ warnings */