diff --git a/rbutil/ipodpatcher/Makefile b/rbutil/ipodpatcher/Makefile
index 6a94466a0c..bae805671e 100644
--- a/rbutil/ipodpatcher/Makefile
+++ b/rbutil/ipodpatcher/Makefile
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # $Id$
 #
 
-CFLAGS += -Wall -W -D__USE_MINGW_ANSI_STDIO=1
+CFLAGS += -Wall -W
 
 # Build with "make BOOTOBJS=1" to build with embedded bootloaders and the 
 # --install option and interactive mode.  You need the full set of Rockbox 
diff --git a/rbutil/libtools.make b/rbutil/libtools.make
index b3015015ed..cc582ce015 100644
--- a/rbutil/libtools.make
+++ b/rbutil/libtools.make
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ APPVERSION ?= $(shell $(TOP)/../tools/version.sh ../)
 CFLAGS += -DVERSION=\"$(APPVERSION)\"
 TARGET_DIR ?= $(shell pwd)/
 
+# use POSIX/C99 printf on windows
+CFLAGS += -D__USE_MINGW_ANSI_STDIO=1
+
 BINARY = $(OUTPUT)
 # when building a Windows binary add the correct file suffix
 ifeq ($(findstring CYGWIN,$(shell uname)),CYGWIN)
diff --git a/rbutil/sansapatcher/Makefile b/rbutil/sansapatcher/Makefile
index c510d968bb..b3bf51ee2a 100644
--- a/rbutil/sansapatcher/Makefile
+++ b/rbutil/sansapatcher/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #                     \/            \/     \/    \/            \/
 
 TARGET_DIR ?= $(shell pwd)/
-CFLAGS += -Wall -W -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE -D__USE_MINGW_ANSI_STDIO=1
+CFLAGS += -Wall -W -D_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE
 
 OUTPUT = sansapatcher