diff --git a/proj-sys/build.rs b/proj-sys/build.rs
index 96c44945..76d61d24 100644
--- a/proj-sys/build.rs
+++ b/proj-sys/build.rs
@@ -121,6 +121,15 @@ fn build_from_source() -> Result<std::path::PathBuf, Box<dyn std::error::Error>>
         config.define("ENABLE_TIFF", "OFF");
     }
 
+    if cfg!(target_env = "msvc") {
+        // rust links the release MVSC runtime
+        // also for debug builds. If we let
+        // cmake choose debug/release builds
+        // based on the underlying cargo build
+        // version that results in linker errors
+        config.profile("Release");
+    }
+
     let proj = config.build();
     // Tell cargo to tell rustc to link libproj, and where to find it
     // libproj will be built in $OUT_DIR/lib