diff --git a/lib/common/compiler.h b/lib/common/compiler.h
index 95e948352..37cdc45eb 100644
--- a/lib/common/compiler.h
+++ b/lib/common/compiler.h
@@ -38,6 +38,17 @@
 
 #endif
 
+/**
+  On MSVC qsort requires that functions passed into it use the __cdecl calling conversion(CC). 
+  This explictly marks such functions as __cdecl so that the code will still compile 
+  if a CC other than __cdecl has been made the default.
+*/
+#if  defined(_MSC_VER)
+#  define WIN_CDECL __cdecl
+#else
+#  define WIN_CDECL 
+#endif
+
 /**
  * FORCE_INLINE_TEMPLATE is used to define C "templates", which take constant
  * parameters. They must be inlined for the compiler to eliminate the constant
diff --git a/lib/dictBuilder/cover.c b/lib/dictBuilder/cover.c
index 50217c13d..e37955a02 100644
--- a/lib/dictBuilder/cover.c
+++ b/lib/dictBuilder/cover.c
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ static int COVER_cmp8(COVER_ctx_t *ctx, const void *lp, const void *rp) {
  * NOTE: g_ctx must be set to call this function.  A global is required because
  * qsort doesn't take an opaque pointer.
  */
-static int COVER_strict_cmp(const void *lp, const void *rp) {
+static int WIN_CDECL COVER_strict_cmp(const void *lp, const void *rp) {
   int result = COVER_cmp(g_ctx, lp, rp);
   if (result == 0) {
     result = lp < rp ? -1 : 1;
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ static int COVER_strict_cmp(const void *lp, const void *rp) {
 /**
  * Faster version for d <= 8.
  */
-static int COVER_strict_cmp8(const void *lp, const void *rp) {
+static int WIN_CDECL COVER_strict_cmp8(const void *lp, const void *rp) {
   int result = COVER_cmp8(g_ctx, lp, rp);
   if (result == 0) {
     result = lp < rp ? -1 : 1;