diff --git a/msvc/props/msvc140.release.props b/msvc/props/msvc140.release.props
index 73bc6ee..46af770 100644
--- a/msvc/props/msvc140.release.props
+++ b/msvc/props/msvc140.release.props
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
 <Project ToolsVersion="4.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
   <ImportGroup Label="PropertySheets" />
   <PropertyGroup Label="UserMacros" />
   <PropertyGroup />
-  <ItemDefinitionGroup />
+  <ItemDefinitionGroup>
+    <ClCompile>
+      <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
+      <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
+    </ClCompile>
+  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemGroup />
-</Project>
+</Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/msvc/pugixml_vs2015.vcxproj b/msvc/pugixml_vs2015.vcxproj
index b8854c8..eb6fa09 100644
--- a/msvc/pugixml_vs2015.vcxproj
+++ b/msvc/pugixml_vs2015.vcxproj
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|x64'" />
   <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|Win32'">
     <ClCompile>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WIN32;_DEBUG;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WIN32;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <SubSystem>Windows</SubSystem>
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'">
     <ClCompile>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>_DEBUG;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <SubSystem>Windows</SubSystem>
@@ -97,9 +97,7 @@
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|Win32'">
     <ClCompile>
-      <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
-      <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WIN32;NDEBUG;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>WIN32;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <SubSystem>Windows</SubSystem>
@@ -110,9 +108,7 @@
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|x64'">
     <ClCompile>
-      <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
-      <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>NDEBUG;_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
+      <PreprocessorDefinitions>_LIB;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <SubSystem>Windows</SubSystem>