diff --git a/include/mapnik/value.hpp b/include/mapnik/value.hpp
index cb72592e8..98be593b1 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/value.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/value.hpp
@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ class value
     friend const value operator%(value const&,value const&);
 
 public:
-    value () noexcept
+    value () //noexcept -- comment out for VC++11
         : base_(value_null()) {}
 
     template <typename T> value(T const& _val_)