diff --git a/targets/linux/build-binary b/targets/linux/build-binary
index f5f0eaf6..e655ab73 100755
--- a/targets/linux/build-binary
+++ b/targets/linux/build-binary
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ make_sounds make_soundfile_linux
 echo " => compiling application.."
 tgt=$apptgtdir/$SYS_APPNAME$SYS_EXEFIX
 
+if echo $ldflag_additions | grep -q c++ ; then
+    # a slightly bad trick to switch the compiler
+    echo WARNING: SWITCHING TO C-PLUS-PLUS
+    SYS_CC=$SYS_CXX
+    cflag_additions="$cflag_additions -fpermissive"
+fi
+
 if [ "$SYS_MODE" = "debug" ]; then
   # enable profiling
   cflag_additions="$cflag_additions -pg"
diff --git a/targets/win32/build-binary b/targets/win32/build-binary
index 3895c0e3..961b07a5 100755
--- a/targets/win32/build-binary
+++ b/targets/win32/build-binary
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ if [ `is_standalone_app` = "yes" ]; then
 else
   if [ `is_gui_app` = yes ]; then
     veval "$SYS_CC -I$SYS_PREFIX/include \
-      $cflag_additions -mwindows win32_microgl.c main.c icon.o -o $tgt \
+      $cflag_additions -mwindows -fpermissive win32_microgl.c main.c icon.o -o $tgt \
       -L$SYS_PREFIX/lib $ldflag_additions -lpayload -lglu32 -lopengl32 -lgdi32 -lwinmm -lwsock32 -lws2_32 -lrpcrt4 -lcrypt32 -lm"
   else
     veval "$SYS_CC -I$SYS_PREFIX/include \
diff --git a/targets/win32/host_linux b/targets/win32/host_linux
index 8f08103b..031e2c95 100755
--- a/targets/win32/host_linux
+++ b/targets/win32/host_linux
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
 win_sysroot=`ls -1d ${WIN32SDK}/i?86-*mingw32* | head -n 1`
 win_cross=`ls -1 ${WIN32SDK}/bin/*mingw32*-gcc | head -n 1 | sed 's/gcc$//'`
 
+test -f ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/WinSock2.h || ln -s $win_sysroot/include/winsock2.h ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/WinSock2.h
+test -f ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/WS2tcpip.h || ln -s $win_sysroot/include/ws2tcpip.h ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/WS2tcpip.h
+test -f ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/Windows.h || ln -s $win_sysroot/include/windows.h ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/Windows.h
+test -f ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/Shlwapi.h || ln -s $win_sysroot/include/shlwapi.h ${SYS_PREFIX}/include/Shlwapi.h
+
 SYS_CC=$win_cross"gcc $SYS_DEBUGFLAG -isysroot $win_sysroot -DWIN32 -DWINVER=0x0501 $cflag_additions"
 SYS_CXX=$win_cross"g++ $SYS_DEBUGFLAG -isysroot $win_sysroot -DWIN32 -DWINVER=0x0501 $cflag_additions"
 SYS_AR=$win_cross"ar"