diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0af86fb7e05ee1..bf3acc08b7f8ae 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@
 /gitweb/gitweb.cgi
 /gitweb/static/gitweb.js
 /gitweb/static/gitweb.min.*
+/libgit
 /test-chmtime
 /test-ctype
 /test-config
@@ -213,6 +214,8 @@
 /test-urlmatch-normalization
 /test-wildmatch
 /common-cmds.h
+/vcs-svn_lib
+/xdiff_lib
 *.tar.gz
 *.dsc
 *.deb
@@ -250,8 +253,9 @@
 *.user
 *.idb
 *.pdb
-/Debug/
-/Release/
+*.manifest
+Debug/
+Release/
 /.vagrant/
 /vagrant2[0-9][0-9][0-9]*-*-*
 /d2[0-9][0-9][0-9]*-*-*
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 33b0f76fd6da0d..23aa408a3d3a83 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1973,7 +1973,7 @@ exec_cmd.sp exec_cmd.s exec_cmd.o: GIT-PREFIX
 exec_cmd.sp exec_cmd.s exec_cmd.o: EXTRA_CPPFLAGS = \
 	'-DGIT_EXEC_PATH="$(gitexecdir_SQ)"' \
 	'-DBINDIR="$(bindir_relative_SQ)"' \
-	'-DPREFIX="$(prefix_SQ)"'
+	'-DFALLBACK_RUNTIME_PREFIX="$(prefix_SQ)"'
 
 builtin/init-db.sp builtin/init-db.s builtin/init-db.o: GIT-PREFIX
 builtin/init-db.sp builtin/init-db.s builtin/init-db.o: EXTRA_CPPFLAGS = \
diff --git a/builtin/rev-list.c b/builtin/rev-list.c
index 275da0d647ebe1..deae1f3159966f 100644
--- a/builtin/rev-list.c
+++ b/builtin/rev-list.c
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ int cmd_rev_list(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		mark_edges_uninteresting(&revs, show_edge);
 
 	if (bisect_list) {
-		int reaches = reaches, all = all;
+		int reaches = 0, all = 0;
 
 		revs.commits = find_bisection(revs.commits, &reaches, &all,
 					      bisect_find_all);
diff --git a/compat/mingw.c b/compat/mingw.c
index e2e5d2f6b776de..fab6d117735201 100644
--- a/compat/mingw.c
+++ b/compat/mingw.c
@@ -2287,7 +2287,7 @@ int symlink(const char *target, const char *link)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-#ifndef _WINNT_H
+#if !defined(_WINNT_H) && !defined(_MSC_VER)
 /*
  * The REPARSE_DATA_BUFFER structure is defined in the Windows DDK (in
  * ntifs.h) and in MSYS1's winnt.h (which defines _WINNT_H). So define
diff --git a/compat/mingw.h b/compat/mingw.h
index aa989e376a964a..ba81a160d28d47 100644
--- a/compat/mingw.h
+++ b/compat/mingw.h
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@ typedef _sigset_t sigset_t;
 #include <winsock2.h>
 #include <ws2tcpip.h>
 
+#pragma comment(lib, "Ws2_32.lib")  
+/* add the MS linker for winsock2 when compiling on Visual Studio
+ https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms737629%28v=vs.85%29.aspx*/
+
+#pragma comment(lib, "wldap32.lib")
+/* some ()https://curl.haxx.se/mail/lib-2007-11/0297.html) report that this clears the 
+unresolved external symbol __imp__curl_* errors */
+
 /* MinGW-w64 reports to have flockfile, but it does not actually have it. */
 #ifdef __MINGW64_VERSION_MAJOR
 #undef _POSIX_THREAD_SAFE_FUNCTIONS
diff --git a/compat/msvc.h b/compat/msvc.h
index 580bb55bf4a71d..6eabfa6ba253bd 100644
--- a/compat/msvc.h
+++ b/compat/msvc.h
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 #include <malloc.h>
 #include <io.h>
 
+#pragma warning(disable: 4018) /* signed/unsigned comparison */
+#pragma warning(disable: 4244) /* type conversion, possible loss of data */
+#pragma warning(disable: 4090) /* 'function' : different 'const' qualifiers (ALLOC_GROW etc.)*/
+
 /* porting function */
 #define inline __inline
 #define __inline__ __inline
@@ -24,6 +28,52 @@ static __inline int strcasecmp (const char *s1, const char *s2)
 
 #undef ERROR
 
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
+typedef int sigset_t;
+#define O_ACCMODE     _O_RDWR  /* open for reading and writing (not in fcntl.h) */
+
+/* http://thompsonng.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/vs2010-fseeko.html */
+#ifdef _WIN32
+#    ifdef __MINGW32__
+#        define fseeko fseeko64
+#        define ftello ftello64
+#    else
+#        define fseeko _fseeki64
+#        define ftello _ftelli64
+#    endif
+#endif
+
+/* https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff552012.aspx */
+typedef struct _REPARSE_DATA_BUFFER {
+  ULONG  ReparseTag;
+  USHORT ReparseDataLength;
+  USHORT Reserved;
+  union {
+    struct {
+      USHORT SubstituteNameOffset;
+      USHORT SubstituteNameLength;
+      USHORT PrintNameOffset;
+      USHORT PrintNameLength;
+      ULONG  Flags;
+      WCHAR  PathBuffer[1];
+    } SymbolicLinkReparseBuffer;
+    struct {
+      USHORT SubstituteNameOffset;
+      USHORT SubstituteNameLength;
+      USHORT PrintNameOffset;
+      USHORT PrintNameLength;
+      WCHAR  PathBuffer[1];
+    } MountPointReparseBuffer;
+    struct {
+      UCHAR DataBuffer[1];
+    } GenericReparseBuffer;
+  };
+} REPARSE_DATA_BUFFER, *PREPARSE_DATA_BUFFER;
+
+/* in the absence of the ntifs.h DDK (device driver development kit) */
+
+#endif
+
 #include "compat/mingw.h"
 
 #endif
diff --git a/compat/regex/regcomp.c b/compat/regex/regcomp.c
index fba5986399ed20..1c5824999ea3e1 100644
--- a/compat/regex/regcomp.c
+++ b/compat/regex/regcomp.c
@@ -18,7 +18,11 @@
    Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA
    02110-1301 USA.  */
 
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER<=1500
+
+#else
 #include <stdint.h>
+#endif
 
 static reg_errcode_t re_compile_internal (regex_t *preg, const char * pattern,
 					  size_t length, reg_syntax_t syntax);
diff --git a/compat/terminal.c b/compat/terminal.c
index 1d37f0aafbaeb7..8ca9fce2b229b8 100644
--- a/compat/terminal.c
+++ b/compat/terminal.c
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
-#include <inttypes.h>
 #include "git-compat-util.h"
 #include "run-command.h"
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && _MSC_VER<=1500
+
+#else
+#include <inttypes.h>
+#endif
 #include "compat/terminal.h"
 #include "sigchain.h"
 #include "strbuf.h"
diff --git a/compat/vcbuild/README b/compat/vcbuild/README
index df8a6574c9ac24..faaea69852c448 100644
--- a/compat/vcbuild/README
+++ b/compat/vcbuild/README
@@ -3,20 +3,24 @@ The Steps of Build Git with VS2008
 1. You need the build environment, which contains the Git dependencies
    to be able to compile, link and run Git with MSVC.
 
-   You can either use the binary repository:
+   You can either:
+      use the binary repository:
 
        WWW: http://repo.or.cz/w/msvcgit.git
        Git: git clone git://repo.or.cz/msvcgit.git
        Zip: http://repo.or.cz/w/msvcgit.git?a=snapshot;h=master;sf=zip
 
-   and call the setup_32bit_env.cmd batch script before compiling Git,
-   (see repo/package README for details), or the source repository:
+      and call the setup_32bit_env.cmd batch script before compiling Git,
+     (see repo/package README for details),
+
+   or:
+      use the source repository:
 
        WWW: http://repo.or.cz/w/gitbuild.git
        Git: git clone git://repo.or.cz/gitbuild.git
        Zip: (None, as it's a project with submodules)
 
-   and build the support libs as instructed in that repo/package.
+     and build the support libs as instructed in that repo/package.
 
 2. Ensure you have the msysgit environment in your path, so you have
    GNU Make, bash and perl available.
@@ -33,18 +37,25 @@ The Steps of Build Git with VS2008
        make common-cmds.h
    to generate the common-cmds.h file needed to compile git.
 
-4. Then either build Git with the GNU Make Makefile in the Git projects
-   root
+4. Then either
+
+     build Git with the GNU Make Makefile in the Git projects root
        make MSVC=1
-   or generate Visual Studio solution/projects (.sln/.vcproj) with the
+   or
+
+   generate Visual Studio solution/projects (.sln/.vcproj) with the
    command
        perl contrib/buildsystems/generate -g Vcproj
    and open and build the solution with the IDE
        devenv git.sln /useenv
-   or build with the IDE build engine directly from the command line
+     or
+
+   build with the IDE build engine directly from the command line
        devenv git.sln /useenv /build "Release|Win32"
    The /useenv option is required, so Visual Studio picks up the
    environment variables for the support libraries required to build
    Git, which you set up in step 1.
 
 Done!
+
+Or, use the msvc-build script; available from /compat/vcbuild/scripts/.
diff --git a/compat/vcbuild/scripts/msvc-build b/compat/vcbuild/scripts/msvc-build
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000000..d67203b51cb882
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compat/vcbuild/scripts/msvc-build
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# This msvc-build command should be executed from the msysgit directory level
+# This is so that the 'cd/git' step works and the subequent operations have the right msysgit super directory.
+set -e # Exit immediately if a command exits with a nonzero exit status.
+
+gui=
+clean=
+while test $# -gt 0
+do
+	case "$1" in
+	--gui|--dev|--devenv|--vs|--visual-studio)
+		gui=t
+		;;
+	clean)
+		clean=t
+		;;
+	*)
+		echo "Usage: $0 [--vs] [clean]" >&2
+		exit 1
+		;;
+	esac
+	shift
+done
+
+cd $(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
+
+case "$clean" in
+t)
+	case "$gui" in
+	t)
+		rm -rf git.sln git.sdf libgit vcs-svn_lib xdiff_lib
+		# remove any other new VS2010... stuff as well: rm -rf  ?
+		;;
+	'')
+		make clean
+		;;
+	esac
+	exit
+	;;
+esac
+
+to_ignore="$(git ls-files --other --exclude-standard msvcgit msvc-build.cmd)"
+test -z "$to_ignore" || {
+	mkdir -p .git/info &&
+	echo "$to_ignore" |
+	sed 's/^/\//' >> .git/info/exclude
+} || exit
+
+test -d msvcgit || git clone git://repo.or.cz/msvcgit.git
+
+vsvars=
+# assume cl.exe will populate its relevant environment variables
+# if cl.exe does not exist, populate vsvars with the most recent Visual Studio path
+type cl.exe 2> /dev/null ||
+vsvars="$(ls -t \
+	"$PROGRAMFILES/Microsoft Visual Studio"*/Common7/Tools/vsvars32.bat |
+	head -n 1)"
+
+
+config_mak=
+# if a config.mak file (dot, not underscore) exists, back it up,
+# remember the backup file name in config_mak.
+test -f config.mak &&
+config_mak=config.mak.bup.$$ &&
+mv config.mak $config_mak
+
+cat > config.mak << EOF
+CFLAGS += -Imsvcgit/32bits/include
+LDFLAGS += -Lmsvcgit/32bits/lib
+EOF
+
+echo "call \"$vsvars\"" > msvc-build.cmd
+if test -z "$gui"
+then
+	echo 'make MSVC=1' >> msvc-build.cmd
+else
+	echo 'perl contrib/buildsystems/generate -g Vcproj' >> msvc-build.cmd
+	echo 'start git.sln' >> msvc-build.cmd
+fi
+
+cmd /c msvc-build.cmd
+
+# if we made a backup file (name in config_mak), then restore it.
+test -z "$config_mak" ||
+mv $config_mak config.mak
diff --git a/compat/win32.h b/compat/win32.h
index a7b81dcd29fa41..dce893c8d47278 100644
--- a/compat/win32.h
+++ b/compat/win32.h
@@ -67,9 +67,11 @@ static inline void *get_proc_addr(struct proc_addr *proc)
 	/* only do this once */
 	if (!proc->initialized) {
 		proc->initialized = 1;
-		HANDLE hnd = LoadLibraryA(proc->dll);
+		{
+		HMODULE hnd = LoadLibraryA(proc->dll);
 		if (hnd)
 			proc->pfunction = GetProcAddress(hnd, proc->function);
+		}
 	}
 	/* set ENOSYS if DLL or function was not found */
 	if (!proc->pfunction)
diff --git a/config.mak.uname b/config.mak.uname
index ac81fddf6f893d..803bccb23c6dc2 100644
--- a/config.mak.uname
+++ b/config.mak.uname
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Platform specific Makefile tweaks based on uname detection
 
+# Define NO_SAFESEH if you need MSVC/Visual Studio to ignore the lack of
+# Microsoft's Safe Exception Handling in libraries (such as zlib).
+# Typically required for VS2013+/32-bit compilation on Vista+ versions.
+
 uname_S := $(shell sh -c 'uname -s 2>/dev/null || echo not')
 uname_M := $(shell sh -c 'uname -m 2>/dev/null || echo not')
 uname_O := $(shell sh -c 'uname -o 2>/dev/null || echo not')
@@ -370,6 +374,9 @@ ifeq ($(uname_S),Windows)
 	NATIVE_CRLF = YesPlease
 	DEFAULT_HELP_FORMAT = html
 
+	NO_EXPAT =
+	NO_CURL =
+
 	CC = compat/vcbuild/scripts/clink.pl
 	AR = compat/vcbuild/scripts/lib.pl
 	CFLAGS =
@@ -383,6 +390,11 @@ ifeq ($(uname_S),Windows)
 	PTHREAD_LIBS =
 	lib =
 	BASIC_CFLAGS += -DPROTECT_NTFS_DEFAULT=1
+
+ifdef NO_SAFESEH
+	LDFLAGS += -SAFESEH:NO
+endif
+
 ifndef DEBUG
 	BASIC_CFLAGS += -GL -Os -MD
 	BASIC_LDFLAGS += -LTCG
diff --git a/contrib/buildsystems/Generators/Vcproj.pm b/contrib/buildsystems/Generators/Vcproj.pm
index cfa74adcc23881..0572ba8609670f 100644
--- a/contrib/buildsystems/Generators/Vcproj.pm
+++ b/contrib/buildsystems/Generators/Vcproj.pm
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ my @GUIDS = (
     "{00785268-A9CC-4E40-AC29-BAC0019159CE}",
     "{4C06F56A-DCDB-46A6-B67C-02339935CF12}",
     "{3A62D3FD-519E-4EC9-8171-D2C1BFEA022F}",
-    "{3A62D3FD-519E-4EC9-8171-D2C1BFEA022F}",
     "{9392EB58-D7BA-410B-B1F0-B2FAA6BC89A7}",
     "{2ACAB2D5-E0CE-4027-BCA0-D78B2D7A6C66}",
     "{86E216C3-43CE-481A-BCB2-BE5E62850635}",
@@ -63,7 +62,14 @@ my @GUIDS = (
     "{294BDC5A-F448-48B6-8110-DD0A81820F8C}",
     "{4B9F66E9-FAC9-47AB-B1EF-C16756FBFD06}",
     "{72EA49C6-2806-48BD-B81B-D4905102E19C}",
-    "{5728EB7E-8929-486C-8CD5-3238D060E768}"
+    "{5728EB7E-8929-486C-8CD5-3238D060E768}",
+    "{A3E300FC-5630-4850-A470-E9F2C2EFA7E7}",
+    "{CEA071D4-D9F3-4250-98F7-44AFDC8ACAA1}",
+    "{3FD87BB4-2236-4A1B-ADD2-46211A302442}",
+    "{49B03F41-5157-4079-95A7-64D728BCF74F}",
+    "{95D5A28B-80E2-40A9-BEA3-C52B9CA488E3}",
+    "{B85E6545-D523-4323-9F29-45389D090343}",
+    "{06840CEF-746C-4B71-9442-C395DD6590A5}"
 );
 
 sub generate {
@@ -561,20 +567,18 @@ sub createGlueProject {
     foreach (@apps) {
         $_ =~ s/\//_/g;
         $_ =~ s/\.exe//;
-        push(@tmp, $_);
+        if ($_ eq "git" ) {
+            unshift(@tmp, $_);
+        } else {
+            push(@tmp, $_);
+        }
     }
     @apps = @tmp;
 
     open F, ">git.sln" || die "Could not open git.sln for writing!\n";
     binmode F, ":crlf";
     print F "$SLN_HEAD";
-    foreach (@libs) {
-        my $libname = $_;
-        my $uuid = $build_structure{"LIBS_${libname}_GUID"};
-        print F "$SLN_PRE";
-        print F "\"${libname}\", \"${libname}\\${libname}.vcproj\", \"${uuid}\"";
-        print F "$SLN_POST";
-    }
+
     my $uuid_libgit = $build_structure{"LIBS_libgit_GUID"};
     my $uuid_xdiff_lib = $build_structure{"LIBS_xdiff_lib_GUID"};
     foreach (@apps) {
@@ -588,6 +592,13 @@ sub createGlueProject {
         print F "	EndProjectSection";
         print F "$SLN_POST";
     }
+    foreach (@libs) {
+        my $libname = $_;
+        my $uuid = $build_structure{"LIBS_${libname}_GUID"};
+        print F "$SLN_PRE";
+        print F "\"${libname}\", \"${libname}\\${libname}.vcproj\", \"${uuid}\"";
+        print F "$SLN_POST";
+    }
 
     print F << "EOM";
 Global
@@ -599,17 +610,17 @@ EOM
     print F << "EOM";
 	GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
 EOM
-    foreach (@libs) {
-        my $libname = $_;
-        my $uuid = $build_structure{"LIBS_${libname}_GUID"};
+    foreach (@apps) {
+        my $appname = $_;
+        my $uuid = $build_structure{"APPS_${appname}_GUID"};
         print F "\t\t${uuid}.Debug|Win32.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32\n";
         print F "\t\t${uuid}.Debug|Win32.Build.0 = Debug|Win32\n";
         print F "\t\t${uuid}.Release|Win32.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32\n";
         print F "\t\t${uuid}.Release|Win32.Build.0 = Release|Win32\n";
     }
-    foreach (@apps) {
-        my $appname = $_;
-        my $uuid = $build_structure{"APPS_${appname}_GUID"};
+    foreach (@libs) {
+        my $libname = $_;
+        my $uuid = $build_structure{"LIBS_${libname}_GUID"};
         print F "\t\t${uuid}.Debug|Win32.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32\n";
         print F "\t\t${uuid}.Debug|Win32.Build.0 = Debug|Win32\n";
         print F "\t\t${uuid}.Release|Win32.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32\n";
diff --git a/contrib/buildsystems/engine.pl b/contrib/buildsystems/engine.pl
index 53e65d4db713c3..760f5bf56811cc 100755
--- a/contrib/buildsystems/engine.pl
+++ b/contrib/buildsystems/engine.pl
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 use File::Spec;
 use Cwd;
 use Generators;
+use Text::ParseWords;
 
 my (%build_structure, %compile_options, @makedry);
 my $out_dir = getcwd();
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ sub showUsage
 # Parse command-line options
 while (@ARGV) {
     my $arg = shift @ARGV;
+	#print "Arg: $arg \n";
     if ("$arg" eq "-h" || "$arg" eq "--help" || "$arg" eq "-?") {
 	showUsage();
 	exit(0);
@@ -72,7 +74,13 @@ sub showUsage
 EOM
 
 # Pipe a make --dry-run into a variable, if not already loaded from file
-@makedry = `cd $git_dir && make -n MSVC=1 V=1 2>/dev/null` if !@makedry;
+# Capture the make dry stderr to file for review (will be empty for a release build).
+
+my $ErrsFile = "msvc-build-makedryerrors.txt";
+@makedry = `cd $git_dir && make -n MSVC=1 V=1 1>makedry.txt 2>$ErrsFile`; # capture the dry run as a text file
+@makedry = `cd $git_dir && make -n MSVC=1 V=1 2>$ErrsFile` if !@makedry;
+# test for an empty Errors file and remove it
+unlink $ErrsFile if -f $ErrsFile && -z _;
 
 # Parse the make output into usable info
 parseMakeOutput();
@@ -122,6 +130,7 @@ sub parseMakeOutput
     print "Parsing GNU Make output to figure out build structure...\n";
     my $line = 0;
     while (my $text = shift @makedry) {
+		#print "Make: $text\n"; # show the makedry line
         my $ate_next;
         do {
             $ate_next = 0;
@@ -140,6 +149,12 @@ sub parseMakeOutput
             next;
         }
 
+        if ($text =~ /^(mkdir|msgfmt) /) {
+            # options to the Portable Object translations
+            # the line "mkdir ... && msgfmt ..." contains no linker options
+            next;
+        }
+
         if($text =~ / -c /) {
             # compilation
             handleCompileLine($text, $line);
@@ -151,6 +166,10 @@ sub parseMakeOutput
         } elsif ($text =~ /\.o / && $text =~ /\.a /) {
             # libifying
             handleLibLine($text, $line);
+
+        } elsif ($text =~ /^cp /) {
+            # Post-Build
+            handlePostBuild($text, $line);
 #
 #        } elsif ($text =~ /^cp /) {
 #            # copy file around
@@ -228,10 +247,15 @@ sub removeDuplicates
     @cflags = keys %dupHash;
 }
 
-sub handleCompileLine
+sub handlePostBuild
 {
     my ($line, $lineno) = @_;
     my @parts = split(' ', $line);
+}
+sub handleCompileLine
+{
+    my ($line, $lineno) = @_;
+    my @parts = shellwords($line);
     my $sourcefile;
     shift(@parts); # ignore cmd
     while (my $part = shift @parts) {
@@ -250,6 +274,7 @@ sub handleCompileLine
         } elsif ($part =~ /\.(c|cc|cpp)$/) {
             $sourcefile = $part;
         } else {
+            print "full line: $line\n";
             die "Unhandled compiler option @ line $lineno: $part";
         }
     }
@@ -265,7 +290,7 @@ sub handleLibLine
     my (@objfiles, @lflags, $libout, $part);
     # kill cmd and rm 'prefix'
     $line =~ s/^rm -f .* && .* rcs //;
-    my @parts = split(' ', $line);
+    my @parts = shellwords($line);
     while ($part = shift @parts) {
         if ($part =~ /^-/) {
             push(@lflags, $part);
@@ -275,6 +300,7 @@ sub handleLibLine
             $libout = $part;
             $libout =~ s/\.a$//;
         } else {
+            print "full line: $line\n";
             die "Unhandled lib option @ line $lineno: $part";
         }
     }
@@ -306,7 +332,7 @@ sub handleLinkLine
 {
     my ($line, $lineno) = @_;
     my (@objfiles, @lflags, @libs, $appout, $part);
-    my @parts = split(' ', $line);
+    my @parts = shellwords($line);
     shift(@parts); # ignore cmd
     while ($part = shift @parts) {
         if ($part =~ /^-IGNORE/) {
@@ -317,10 +343,12 @@ sub handleLinkLine
             $appout = shift @parts;
         } elsif ("$part" eq "-lz") {
             push(@libs, "zlib.lib");
-	} elsif ("$part" eq "-lcrypto") {
+        } elsif ("$part" eq "-lcrypto") {
             push(@libs, "libeay32.lib");
         } elsif ("$part" eq "-lssl") {
             push(@libs, "ssleay32.lib");
+        } elsif ("$part" eq "-lcurl") {
+            push(@libs, "libcurl.lib");
         } elsif ($part =~ /^-/) {
             push(@lflags, $part);
         } elsif ($part =~ /\.(a|lib)$/) {
@@ -333,7 +361,7 @@ sub handleLinkLine
         } elsif ($part =~ /\.obj$/) {
             # do nothing, 'make' should not be producing .obj, only .o files
         } else {
-            die "Unhandled lib option @ line $lineno: $part";
+            die "Unhandled link option @ line $lineno: $part";
         }
     }
 #    print "AppOut: '$appout'\nLFlags: @lflags\nLibs  : @libs\nOfiles: @objfiles\n";
diff --git a/exec_cmd.c b/exec_cmd.c
index 9d5703a157fe8e..7f1d687c2de75d 100644
--- a/exec_cmd.c
+++ b/exec_cmd.c
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ char *system_path(const char *path)
 #ifdef RUNTIME_PREFIX
 	static const char *prefix;
 #else
-	static const char *prefix = PREFIX;
+	static const char *prefix = FALLBACK_RUNTIME_PREFIX;
 #endif
 	struct strbuf d = STRBUF_INIT;
 
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ char *system_path(const char *path)
 	    !(prefix = strip_path_suffix(argv0_path, GIT_EXEC_PATH)) &&
 	    !(prefix = strip_path_suffix(argv0_path, BINDIR)) &&
 	    !(prefix = strip_path_suffix(argv0_path, "git"))) {
-		prefix = PREFIX;
+		prefix = FALLBACK_RUNTIME_PREFIX;
 		trace_printf("RUNTIME_PREFIX requested, "
 				"but prefix computation failed.  "
 				"Using static fallback '%s'.\n", prefix);
diff --git a/fast-import.c b/fast-import.c
index 9fc7093406b1e2..ca66d802fc6722 100644
--- a/fast-import.c
+++ b/fast-import.c
@@ -2935,7 +2935,7 @@ static void cat_blob(struct object_entry *oe, unsigned char sha1[20])
 
 static void parse_get_mark(const char *p)
 {
-	struct object_entry *oe = oe;
+	struct object_entry *oe = NULL;
 	char output[42];
 
 	/* get-mark SP <object> LF */
@@ -2952,7 +2952,7 @@ static void parse_get_mark(const char *p)
 
 static void parse_cat_blob(const char *p)
 {
-	struct object_entry *oe = oe;
+	struct object_entry *oe = NULL;
 	unsigned char sha1[20];
 
 	/* cat-blob SP <object> LF */
diff --git a/git-compat-util.h b/git-compat-util.h
index 5d22c972fe7a6b..035e68f30e8828 100644
--- a/git-compat-util.h
+++ b/git-compat-util.h
@@ -145,6 +145,12 @@
 #define _NETBSD_SOURCE 1
 #define _SGI_SOURCE 1
 
+/* Not all versions of all compilers can cleanly determine
+ * if a variable either has been, or needs to be, initialized.
+ * Such variables can be initialized to this value so the
+ * developer does not need to reason about why the value is chosen*/
+#define SUPPRESS_UNINITIALIZD_WARNINGS 0
+
 #if defined(WIN32) && !defined(__CYGWIN__) /* Both MinGW and MSVC */
 # if defined (_MSC_VER) && !defined(_WIN32_WINNT)
 #  define _WIN32_WINNT 0x0502
diff --git a/merge-recursive.c b/merge-recursive.c
index b880ae50e7ee4f..ff4852b4a6afe1 100644
--- a/merge-recursive.c
+++ b/merge-recursive.c
@@ -1899,7 +1899,7 @@ int merge_recursive(struct merge_options *o,
 {
 	struct commit_list *iter;
 	struct commit *merged_common_ancestors;
-	struct tree *mrtree = mrtree;
+	struct tree *mrtree = NULL;
 	int clean;
 
 	if (show(o, 4)) {
diff --git a/perl/Makefile b/perl/Makefile
index 15d96fcc7a5a81..5b86aac41cc5bd 100644
--- a/perl/Makefile
+++ b/perl/Makefile
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ clean:
 	$(RM) $(makfile).old
 	$(RM) PM.stamp
 
+ifneq (,$(wildcard PM.stamp))
 $(makfile): PM.stamp
+endif
 
 ifdef NO_PERL_MAKEMAKER
 instdir_SQ = $(subst ','\'',$(prefix)/lib)
diff --git a/read-cache.c b/read-cache.c
index d9fb78bc559ac9..978d6b6484b4a5 100644
--- a/read-cache.c
+++ b/read-cache.c
@@ -1870,7 +1870,7 @@ static int ce_write_entry(git_SHA_CTX *c, int fd, struct cache_entry *ce,
 {
 	int size;
 	struct ondisk_cache_entry *ondisk;
-	int saved_namelen = saved_namelen; /* compiler workaround */
+	int saved_namelen = 0;
 	char *name;
 	int result;
 
diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index fc02698587c61d..c3d811c4b8d76e 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -1659,7 +1659,7 @@ int branch_merge_matches(struct branch *branch,
 	return refname_match(branch->merge[i]->src, refname);
 }
 
-__attribute((format (printf,2,3)))
+__attribute__((format (printf,2,3)))
 static const char *error_buf(struct strbuf *err, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	if (err) {
diff --git a/sideband.c b/sideband.c
index fde8adc000f316..d448ba79190235 100644
--- a/sideband.c
+++ b/sideband.c
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
  * the remote died unexpectedly.  A flush() concludes the stream.
  */
 
-#define PREFIX "remote:"
+#define DISPLAY_PREFIX "remote:"
 
 #define ANSI_SUFFIX "\033[K"
 #define DUMB_SUFFIX "        "
@@ -22,13 +22,13 @@
 
 int recv_sideband(const char *me, int in_stream, int out)
 {
-	unsigned pf = strlen(PREFIX);
+	unsigned pf = strlen(DISPLAY_PREFIX);
 	unsigned sf;
 	char buf[LARGE_PACKET_MAX + 2*FIX_SIZE];
 	char *suffix, *term;
 	int skip_pf = 0;
 
-	memcpy(buf, PREFIX, pf);
+	memcpy(buf, DISPLAY_PREFIX, pf);
 	term = getenv("TERM");
 	if (isatty(2) && term && strcmp(term, "dumb"))
 		suffix = ANSI_SUFFIX;