diff --git a/ninjabackend.py b/ninjabackend.py
index d8b9e8f9e..74892f098 100644
--- a/ninjabackend.py
+++ b/ninjabackend.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from meson_install import InstallData
 from build import InvalidArguments
 from coredata import MesonException
 import os, sys, pickle, re
-import subprocess
+import subprocess, shutil
 
 if mesonlib.is_windows():
     quote_char = '"'
@@ -130,6 +130,33 @@ class NinjaBackend(backends.Backend):
                 raise MesonException('Multiple producers for Ninja target "%s". Please rename your targets.' % n)
             self.all_outputs[n] = True
 
+    def detect_vs_dep_prefix(self, outfile, tempfilename):
+        '''VS writes its dependency in a locale dependent format.
+        Detect the search prefix to use.'''
+        if shutil.which('cl') is None:
+            return outfile
+        outfile.close()
+        open(os.path.join(self.environment.get_scratch_dir(), 'incdetect.c'),
+              'w').write('''#include<stdio.h>
+int dummy;
+''')
+
+        pc = subprocess.Popen(['cl', '/showIncludes', '/c', 'incdetect.c'],
+                              stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+                              stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                              cwd=self.environment.get_scratch_dir())
+
+        (stdo, _) = pc.communicate()
+
+        for line in stdo.split(b'\r\n'):
+            if line.endswith(b'stdio.h'):
+                matchstr = b':'.join(line.split(b':')[0:2]) + b':'
+                binfile = open(tempfilename, 'ab')
+                binfile.write(b'msvc_deps_prefix = ' + matchstr + b'\r\n')
+                binfile.close()
+                return open(tempfilename, 'a')
+        raise MesonException('Could not determine vs dep dependency prefix string.')
+
     def generate(self, interp):
         self.interpreter = interp
         outfilename = os.path.join(self.environment.get_build_dir(), self.ninja_filename)
@@ -140,6 +167,7 @@ class NinjaBackend(backends.Backend):
         outfile.write('# It is autogenerated by the Meson build system.\n')
         outfile.write('# Do not edit by hand.\n\n')
         outfile.write('ninja_required_version = 1.5.1\n\n')
+        outfile = self.detect_vs_dep_prefix(outfile, tempfilename)
         self.generate_rules(outfile)
         self.generate_phony(outfile)
         outfile.write('# Build rules for targets\n\n')
diff --git a/run_tests.py b/run_tests.py
index f07e0667e..f1ed1c75b 100755
--- a/run_tests.py
+++ b/run_tests.py
@@ -153,9 +153,11 @@ def run_configure_inprocess(commandlist):
     sys.stdout = mystdout = StringIO()
     old_stderr = sys.stderr
     sys.stderr = mystderr = StringIO()
-    returncode = meson.run(commandlist)
-    sys.stdout = old_stdout
-    sys.stderr = old_stderr
+    try:
+        returncode = meson.run(commandlist)
+    finally:
+        sys.stdout = old_stdout
+        sys.stderr = old_stderr
     return (returncode, mystdout.getvalue(), mystderr.getvalue())
 
 def run_test_inprocess(testdir):
@@ -165,11 +167,13 @@ def run_test_inprocess(testdir):
     sys.stderr = mystderr = StringIO()
     old_cwd = os.getcwd()
     os.chdir(testdir)
-    returncode_test = meson_test.run(['meson-private/meson_test_setup.dat'])
-    returncode_benchmark = meson_benchmark.run(['meson-private/meson_benchmark_setup.dat'])
-    sys.stdout = old_stdout
-    sys.stderr = old_stderr
-    os.chdir(old_cwd)
+    try:
+        returncode_test = meson_test.run(['meson-private/meson_test_setup.dat'])
+        returncode_benchmark = meson_benchmark.run(['meson-private/meson_benchmark_setup.dat'])
+    finally:
+        sys.stdout = old_stdout
+        sys.stderr = old_stderr
+        os.chdir(old_cwd)
     return (max(returncode_test, returncode_benchmark), mystdout.getvalue(), mystderr.getvalue())