diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 8aff64c1279..4183e0a74c7 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ install:
   - cmd: copy "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\vcvars64.bat" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin\amd64\vcvarsamd64.bat"
 
   # same things as the requirements in ci/conda_recipe/meta.yaml
-  - cmd: conda create -y -q -n test-environment python=%PYTHON_VERSION% pip setuptools numpy python-dateutil freetype msinttypes tk pyparsing pytz tornado libpng zlib pyqt cycler nose mock
+  - cmd: conda create -y -q -n test-environment python=%PYTHON_VERSION% pip setuptools numpy python-dateutil freetype msinttypes tk pyparsing pytz tornado libpng zlib pyqt cycler nose mock msvc_runtime
   - activate test-environment
   - cmd: echo %PYTHON_VERSION% %TARGET_ARCH%
   - cmd: IF %PYTHON_VERSION% == 2.7 conda install -y functools32
diff --git a/ci/conda_recipe/meta.yaml b/ci/conda_recipe/meta.yaml
index 21f275de3da..ab49c6c758d 100644
--- a/ci/conda_recipe/meta.yaml
+++ b/ci/conda_recipe/meta.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ requirements:
     - pyqt                # [not osx]
     - tk                  # [linux and win]
     - functools32         # [py2k]
+    - msvc_runtime        # [win]
 
   run:
     - python
@@ -51,10 +52,11 @@ requirements:
     - pytz
     - pyparsing
 #    - py2cairo            # [linux and py2k]
-    - libpng              # [unix]
+    - libpng
     - pyqt                # [not osx]
     - tk                  # [linux and win]
     - functools32         # [py2k]
+    - msvc_runtime        # [win]
 
 test:
     imports: