diff --git a/nselib/pcre.c b/nselib/pcre.c
index d772e1277..afcc22021 100644
--- a/nselib/pcre.c
+++ b/nselib/pcre.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static int get_startoffset(lua_State *L, int stackpos, size_t len)
 	if(startoffset > 0)
 		startoffset--;
 	else if(startoffset < 0) {
-		startoffset += len;
+		startoffset += (int) len;
 		if(startoffset < 0)
 			startoffset = 0;
 	}
diff --git a/nselib/pcre.h b/nselib/pcre.h
index e10abdec9..95f0a5b15 100644
--- a/nselib/pcre.h
+++ b/nselib/pcre.h
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@
 #define PCRE_H
 
 #ifdef WIN32
+#define _CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE 1
+#define _CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS 1 /* otherwise msvc++ complains even for 
+safe operations, and request us to use their str*_s() functions */
+#pragma warning(disable: 4996)
 #define vsnprintf _vsnprintf
+#define strdup _strdup
 #endif /* WIN32 */
 #define NSE_PCRELIBNAME "pcre"