diff --git a/mk/re.mk b/mk/re.mk
index 60ddf48..a41ca7a 100644
--- a/mk/re.mk
+++ b/mk/re.mk
@@ -434,6 +434,11 @@ CFLAGS  += -DHAVE_GETIFADDRS
 endif
 endif
 
+HAVE_STRERROR_R	:= 1
+ifneq ($(HAVE_STRERROR_R),)
+CFLAGS += -DHAVE_STRERROR_R
+endif
+
 endif
 
 HAVE_GETOPT     := $(shell [ -f $(SYSROOT)/include/getopt.h ] && echo "1")
diff --git a/src/fmt/str_error.c b/src/fmt/str_error.c
index c417052..9796308 100644
--- a/src/fmt/str_error.c
+++ b/src/fmt/str_error.c
@@ -27,12 +27,24 @@ const char *str_error(int errnum, char *buf, size_t sz)
 		return NULL;
 
 	buf[0] = '\0';
+#ifdef HAVE_STRERROR_R
+
 #ifdef LINUX
 	s = strerror_r(errnum, buf, sz);
 #else
 	(void)strerror_r(errnum, buf, sz);
 	s = buf;
 #endif
+
+#elif defined (WIN32) & !defined (__MINGW32__)
+	(void)strerror_s(buf, sz, errnum);
+	s = buf;
+#else
+	/* fallback */
+	(void)errnum;
+	s = "unknown error";
+#endif
+
 	buf[sz - 1] = '\0';
 
 	return s;