diff --git a/cmake/OpenCVCompilerOptions.cmake b/cmake/OpenCVCompilerOptions.cmake
index 6bf1a68602..8f8bdc75f3 100644
--- a/cmake/OpenCVCompilerOptions.cmake
+++ b/cmake/OpenCVCompilerOptions.cmake
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ if(MSVC)
 
   # Remove unreferenced functions: function level linking
   set(OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS "${OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS} /Gy")
-  set(OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS_DEBUG "${OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS_DEBUG} /bigobj")
+  if(NOT MSVC_VERSION LESS 1400)
+    set(OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS "${OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS} /bigobj")
+  endif()
   if(BUILD_WITH_DEBUG_INFO)
     set(OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS_RELEASE "${OPENCV_EXTRA_C_FLAGS_RELEASE} /Zi")
   endif()