diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile
index 556fece2251..19e2e49ffd0 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ UNICODE = 1
 endif
 
 CFLAGS	= -DWIN32 -D_ROS_ -D_WIN32_IE=0x0501 -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0501 -fexceptions -Wall
-RCFLAGS	= -DWIN32 -D_ROS_
+RCFLAGS	= -DWIN32 -D_ROS_ -D__WINDRES__
 LFLAGS	= -Wl,--subsystem,windows
 
 ifdef DEBUG
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile.MinGW b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile.MinGW
index 02753e85d55..8ea7b0eb115 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile.MinGW
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/Makefile.MinGW
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ CXX = g++
 LINK = g++
 
 CFLAGS	= -DWIN32 -D_WIN32_IE=0x0501 -D_WIN32_WINNT=0x0501 -fexceptions -Wall
-RCFLAGS	= -DWIN32
+RCFLAGS	= -DWIN32 -D__WINDRES__
 LFLAGS	= -Wl,--subsystem,windows
 
 ifdef DEBUG