diff --git a/panda/src/downloader/downloader.cxx b/panda/src/downloader/downloader.cxx
index 02a262fd26..67585ea034 100644
--- a/panda/src/downloader/downloader.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/downloader/downloader.cxx
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
   #include <netdb.h>
 #else
   #include <winsock2.h>
-  #define errno WSAGetLastError()
 #endif
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -269,9 +268,15 @@ fast_receive(int socket, DownloadStatus *status, int rec_size) {
 	  << "Downloader::fast_receive() - recv() error = 0" << endl;
       return FR_no_data;
     } else {
+#if defined(WIN32_VC)
+      downloader_cat.error()
+        << "Downloader::fast_receive() - recv() error: " 
+        << err << endl;
+#else
       downloader_cat.error()
         << "Downloader::fast_receive() - recv() error: " 
         << errno << endl;
+#endif
       return FR_error;
     }
   }