diff --git a/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp b/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
index 52ae682de8..a1de3a7c98 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcbnew.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,9 @@ PGM_BASE* PgmOrNull()
 static bool scriptingSetup()
 {
 
-#if defined( __WINDOWS__ ) && !defined( _MSC_VER )
+#if defined( __WINDOWS__ )
+    // for msvc, we set python library paths via the python c-api in pcbnewInitPythonScripting instead
+    #if !defined( _MSC_VER )
     // If our python.exe (in kicad/bin) exists, force our kicad python environment
     wxString kipython = FindKicadFile( "python.exe" );
 
@@ -239,6 +241,7 @@ static bool scriptingSetup()
         kipython << wxT( ";" ) << ppath;
         wxSetEnv( wxT( "PATH" ), kipython );
     }
+    #endif
 
 #elif defined( __WXMAC__ )