diff --git a/xs/src/myinit.h b/xs/src/myinit.h
index 5f012da83..fcd7d60e1 100644
--- a/xs/src/myinit.h
+++ b/xs/src/myinit.h
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #define _myinit_h_
 
 // this needs to be included early for MSVC (listing it in Build.PL is not enough)
+#undef read
+#undef seekdir
 #include <ostream>
 #include <iostream>