diff --git a/evdns.c b/evdns.c
index 6afe7557..3611bc63 100644
--- a/evdns.c
+++ b/evdns.c
@@ -101,7 +101,9 @@
 #ifdef WIN32
 #include <winsock2.h>
 #include <ws2tcpip.h>
+#ifndef _WIN32_IE
 #define _WIN32_IE 0x400
+#endif
 #include <shlobj.h>
 #endif
 
diff --git a/include/event2/bufferevent.h b/include/event2/bufferevent.h
index 5ca707fa..795607b0 100644
--- a/include/event2/bufferevent.h
+++ b/include/event2/bufferevent.h
@@ -65,13 +65,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* For int types. */
 #include <event2/util.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
-
 /* Just for error reporting - use other constants otherwise */
 #define BEV_EVENT_READING	0x01	/**< error encountered while reading */
 #define BEV_EVENT_WRITING	0x02	/**< error encountered while writing */
diff --git a/include/event2/bufferevent_struct.h b/include/event2/bufferevent_struct.h
index 44986315..3eef9f2f 100644
--- a/include/event2/bufferevent_struct.h
+++ b/include/event2/bufferevent_struct.h
@@ -51,12 +51,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* For struct event */
 #include <event2/event_struct.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
 struct event_watermark {
 	size_t low;
 	size_t high;
diff --git a/include/event2/event.h b/include/event2/event.h
index d2153e1b..2a57a6ba 100644
--- a/include/event2/event.h
+++ b/include/event2/event.h
@@ -50,12 +50,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* For int types. */
 #include <event2/util.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
 struct event_base;
 struct event;
 struct event_config;
diff --git a/include/event2/event_compat.h b/include/event2/event_compat.h
index eacb1cab..2356aa04 100644
--- a/include/event2/event_compat.h
+++ b/include/event2/event_compat.h
@@ -49,12 +49,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* For int types. */
 #include <event2/util.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
 /**
   Initialize the event API.
 
diff --git a/include/event2/event_struct.h b/include/event2/event_struct.h
index 02b06691..b8e438cc 100644
--- a/include/event2/event_struct.h
+++ b/include/event2/event_struct.h
@@ -49,13 +49,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* For int types. */
 #include <event2/util.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#include <winsock2.h>
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
 #define EVLIST_TIMEOUT	0x01
 #define EVLIST_INSERTED	0x02
 #define EVLIST_SIGNAL	0x04
diff --git a/include/event2/http.h b/include/event2/http.h
index 0edaf7e7..d5dff821 100644
--- a/include/event2/http.h
+++ b/include/event2/http.h
@@ -34,13 +34,6 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <winsock2.h>
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
 /* In case we haven't included the right headers yet. */
 struct evbuffer;
 struct event_base;
diff --git a/include/event2/http_compat.h b/include/event2/http_compat.h
index 8f2b8082..c8f048b5 100644
--- a/include/event2/http_compat.h
+++ b/include/event2/http_compat.h
@@ -49,12 +49,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* For int types. */
 #include <event2/util.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
 /**
  * Start an HTTP server on the specified address and port
  *
diff --git a/include/event2/tag.h b/include/event2/tag.h
index ebed1a61..67687ee9 100644
--- a/include/event2/tag.h
+++ b/include/event2/tag.h
@@ -48,12 +48,6 @@ extern "C" {
 /* For int types. */
 #include <event2/util.h>
 
-#ifdef WIN32
-#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#include <windows.h>
-#undef WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
-#endif
-
 struct evbuffer;
 
 /*
diff --git a/include/event2/util.h b/include/event2/util.h
index 12817802..c14783e7 100644
--- a/include/event2/util.h
+++ b/include/event2/util.h
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <netdb.h>
 #endif
 
+#ifdef WIN32
+#include <winsock2.h>
+#endif
+
 /* Integer type definitions for types that are supposed to be defined in the
  * C99-specified stdint.h.  Shamefully, some platforms do not include
  * stdint.h, so we need to replace it.  (If you are on a platform like this,