diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index fd271d472db..9e6b5f6bee0 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -66,7 +66,13 @@ set_property(CACHE gRPC_PROTOBUF_PROVIDER PROPERTY STRINGS "module" "package")
 set(gRPC_USE_PROTO_LITE OFF CACHE BOOL "Use the protobuf-lite library")
 
 if (MSVC)
-  add_definitions( -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x600 )
+  add_definitions(-D_WIN32_WINNT=0x600 -D_SCL_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS -D_WINSOCK_DEPRECATED_NO_WARNINGS)
+  # needed to compile boringssl
+  add_definitions(/wd4464 /wd4623 /wd4668 /wd4701 /wd4702 /wd4777 /wd5027)
+  # needed to compile protobuf
+  add_definitions(/wd4065 /wd4506)
+  # TODO(jtattermusch): revisit C4267 occurrences throughout the code
+  add_definitions(/wd4267)
 endif()
 
 if (gRPC_USE_PROTO_LITE)
diff --git a/templates/CMakeLists.txt.template b/templates/CMakeLists.txt.template
index c3c636c6af7..8d49abeffd4 100644
--- a/templates/CMakeLists.txt.template
+++ b/templates/CMakeLists.txt.template
@@ -84,7 +84,13 @@
   set(gRPC_USE_PROTO_LITE OFF CACHE BOOL "Use the protobuf-lite library")
 
   if (MSVC)
-    add_definitions( -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x600 )
+    add_definitions(-D_WIN32_WINNT=0x600 -D_SCL_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS -D_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS -D_WINSOCK_DEPRECATED_NO_WARNINGS)
+    # needed to compile boringssl
+    add_definitions(/wd4464 /wd4623 /wd4668 /wd4701 /wd4702 /wd4777 /wd5027)
+    # needed to compile protobuf
+    add_definitions(/wd4065 /wd4506)
+    # TODO(jtattermusch): revisit C4267 occurrences throughout the code
+    add_definitions(/wd4267)
   endif()
 
   if (gRPC_USE_PROTO_LITE)