diff --git a/src/global.hpp b/src/global.hpp
index 34378c22aa9..b5ad7506010 100755
--- a/src/global.hpp
+++ b/src/global.hpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef DISABLE_4786_HPP_INCLUDED
 #define DISABLE_4786_HPP_INCLUDED
 
-#ifdef _WIN32
+#ifdef _MSC_VER
 
 //disable the warning to let us know about 'this' being used in
 //initializer list, since it's a common thing to want to do
@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@ warning4786WorkAround() {}
 
 static warning4786WorkAround VariableThatHacksWarning4786IntoBeingMutedForSomeUnknownReason;
 
+//put the mathematical functions where they belong: in the std namespace
+//it is necessary for VC6 at least
+#include <cmath>
+namespace std {
+  using ::floor;
+  using ::sqrt;
+}
+
 #endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/mapgen.cpp b/src/mapgen.cpp
index 6709fbd4b55..70e1e057fbe 100644
--- a/src/mapgen.cpp
+++ b/src/mapgen.cpp
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ height_map generate_height_map(size_t width, size_t height,
 		if(island_size != 0) {
 			const size_t diffx = abs(x1 - int(center_x));
 			const size_t diffy = abs(y1 - int(center_y));
-			const size_t dist = size_t(sqrt(double(diffx*diffx + diffy*diffy)));
+			const size_t dist = size_t(std::sqrt(double(diffx*diffx + diffy*diffy)));
 			is_valley = dist > island_size;
 		}
 
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ height_map generate_height_map(size_t width, size_t height,
 				const int xdiff = (x2-x1);
 				const int ydiff = (y2-y1);
 
-				const int height = radius - int(sqrt(double(xdiff*xdiff + ydiff*ydiff)));
+				const int height = radius - int(std::sqrt(double(xdiff*xdiff + ydiff*ydiff)));
 
 				if(height > 0) {
 					if(is_valley) {
diff --git a/src/sdl_utils.cpp b/src/sdl_utils.cpp
index 8d7c496d93e..246e1152ca6 100644
--- a/src/sdl_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/sdl_utils.cpp
@@ -187,12 +187,12 @@ surface scale_surface_blended(surface surf, int w, int h)
 				//we now have a rectangle, (xsrc,ysrc,xratio,yratio) which we
 				//want to derive the pixel from
 				for(double xloc = xsrc; xloc < xsrc+xratio; xloc += 1.0) {
-					const double xsize = minimum<double>(floor(xloc+1.0)-xloc,xsrc+xratio-xloc);
+					const double xsize = minimum<double>(std::floor(xloc+1.0)-xloc,xsrc+xratio-xloc);
 					for(double yloc = ysrc; yloc < ysrc+yratio; yloc += 1.0) {
 						const int xsrcint = maximum<int>(0,minimum<int>(src->w-1,static_cast<int>(xsrc)));
 						const int ysrcint = maximum<int>(0,minimum<int>(src->h-1,static_cast<int>(ysrc)));
 
-						const double ysize = minimum<double>(floor(yloc+1.0)-yloc,ysrc+yratio-yloc);		
+						const double ysize = minimum<double>(std::floor(yloc+1.0)-yloc,ysrc+yratio-yloc);		
 
 						Uint8 r,g,b,a;