diff --git a/build.bat b/build.bat
index 22c6cbc4..5182a044 100644
--- a/build.bat
+++ b/build.bat
@@ -15,6 +15,29 @@ if "%--force_meta_build%"=="1" (
 
 echo build_cmd: %program_build_cmd%
 
+::- Try to activate Visual Studio if devenv not detected
+::  Taken from wcap: https://github.com/mmozeiko/wcap/blob/aa25ccb806d7a6e1c0bfdcca863aabcd8e9badfa/build.cmd#L21-L29
+if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%" equ "AMD64" (
+    set HOST_ARCH=x64
+) else if "%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%" equ "ARM64" (
+    set HOST_ARCH=arm64
+)
+where /Q cl.exe || (
+    echo **************************************************************************
+    echo WARNING: cl.exe not found, attempting to locate Visual Studio installation
+
+    set __VSCMD_ARG_NO_LOGO=1
+    for /f "tokens=*" %%i in ('"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer\vswhere.exe" -latest -requires Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeDesktop -property installationPath') do set VS=%%i
+    if "!VS!" equ "" (
+        echo ERROR: Visual Studio installation not found
+        exit /b 1
+    )
+    echo Visual Studio installation located, activating development environment...
+    call "!VS!\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat" -arch=%HOST_ARCH% -host_arch=%HOST_ARCH% -startdir=none -no_logo || exit /b 1
+    echo Visual studio development environment activated
+    echo **************************************************************************
+)
+
 ::- Meta build
 :meta_build
 if not exist meta.exe (