diff --git a/include/gtest/internal/gtest-port.h b/include/gtest/internal/gtest-port.h
index 603e7f1b..c0a1f117 100644
--- a/include/gtest/internal/gtest-port.h
+++ b/include/gtest/internal/gtest-port.h
@@ -269,6 +269,10 @@
 // ::std::string is not available is MSVC 7.1 or lower with exceptions
 // disabled.
 #if defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER < 1400) && !GTEST_HAS_EXCEPTIONS
+#if !GTEST_ALLOW_VC71_WITHOUT_EXCEPTIONS_
+#error "When compiling gtest using MSVC 7.1, exceptions must be enabled."
+#error "Otherwise std::string and std::vector don't compile."
+#endif
 #define GTEST_HAS_STD_STRING 0
 #else
 #define GTEST_HAS_STD_STRING 1
diff --git a/scons/SConstruct.common b/scons/SConstruct.common
index ed896d09..3f9d9ca0 100644
--- a/scons/SConstruct.common
+++ b/scons/SConstruct.common
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ class SConstructHelper:
                     'STRICT',
                     'WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN',
                     '_HAS_EXCEPTIONS=0',
+                    'GTEST_ALLOW_VC71_WITHOUT_EXCEPTIONS_=1',
                     ],
         LIBPATH=['#/$MAIN_DIR/lib'],
         LINKFLAGS=['-MACHINE:x86',  # Enable safe SEH (not supp. on x64)