diff --git a/SConstruct b/SConstruct
index d8d4a5406..9032bd90a 100644
--- a/SConstruct
+++ b/SConstruct
@@ -770,6 +770,12 @@ def get_expression_value(includes, expression):
 
 env['HAS_TIMES_H'] = conf.CheckCHeader('sys/times.h', '""')
 env['HAS_UNISTD_H'] = conf.CheckCHeader('unistd.h', '""')
+#
+# Check to see if the compiler supports C99 fenv.h
+#      Apparently, the only compiler not to is MS visual before 2013
+#
+env['HAS_FENV_H'] = conf.CheckCHeader('fenv.h', '""')
+
 env['HAS_MATH_H_ERF'] = conf.CheckDeclaration('erf', '#include <math.h>', 'C++')
 
 env['HAS_GLOBAL_ISNAN'] = conf.CheckStatement('::isnan(1.0)', '#include <cmath>')
@@ -1210,6 +1216,12 @@ cdefine('USE_GLOBAL_ISNAN', 'HAS_GLOBAL_ISNAN')
 cdefine('USE_STD_ISNAN', 'HAS_STD_ISNAN')
 cdefine('USE_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN', 'HAS_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN')
 
+#  this turns on HAS_FENV_H
+if env['HAS_FENV_H']:
+    configh['HAS_FENV_H'] = 1
+else:
+    configh['HAS_FENV_H'] = None
+
 config_h = env.Command('include/cantera/base/config.h',
                        'include/cantera/base/config.h.in',
                        ConfigBuilder(configh))
diff --git a/include/cantera/base/config.h.in b/include/cantera/base/config.h.in
index 977fc2a9d..bf0739e0b 100644
--- a/include/cantera/base/config.h.in
+++ b/include/cantera/base/config.h.in
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ typedef  int          ftnlen;       // Fortran hidden string length type
 %(USE_GLOBAL_ISNAN)s
 %(USE_UNDERSCORE_ISNAN)s
 
+%(HAS_FENV_H)s
+
 // This define is needed to account for the variability for how
 // static variables in templated classes are defined. Right now
 // this is only turned on for the SunPro compiler on Solaris.
diff --git a/src/base/ctexceptions.cpp b/src/base/ctexceptions.cpp
index d77352195..b9a9e64b3 100644
--- a/src/base/ctexceptions.cpp
+++ b/src/base/ctexceptions.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 #include "cantera/base/global.h"
 #include "cantera/base/stringUtils.h"
 
+#ifdef HAVE_FENVH
 #include <fenv.h>
+#endif
 #include <sstream>
 #include <typeinfo>
 
@@ -78,16 +80,20 @@ std::string IndexError::getMessage() const
 }
 //============================================================================================================
 bool check_FENV_OverUnder_Flow() {
+#ifdef HAVE_FENV_H
      fexcept_t ff;
      fegetexceptflag(&ff, FE_OVERFLOW || FE_UNDERFLOW || FE_INVALID);
      if (ff) {
         return true;
      }
+#endif
      return false;
 };
 //============================================================================================================
 void clear_FENV() {
+#ifdef HAVE_FENV_H
      feclearexcept(FE_ALL_EXCEPT);
+#endif
 }
 //============================================================================================================
 
diff --git a/src/thermo/GibbsExcessVPSSTP.cpp b/src/thermo/GibbsExcessVPSSTP.cpp
index e7edd76e8..045f8a118 100644
--- a/src/thermo/GibbsExcessVPSSTP.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/GibbsExcessVPSSTP.cpp
@@ -207,10 +207,15 @@ void GibbsExcessVPSSTP::getActivityCoefficients(doublereal* const ac) const
             ac[k] = exp(ac[k]);
         }
         if (realNumberRangeBehavior_ == FENV_CHECK_CTRB) {
+#ifdef HAVE_FENV_H
             if (check_FENV_OverUnder_Flow()) {
                 throw CanteraError("GibbsExcessVPSSTP::getActivityCoefficients()",
                                    "activity coefficient is over/underflowing");
             }
+#else
+            throw CanteraError("GibbsExcessVPSSTP::getActivityCoefficients()",
+                               "realNumberRangeBehavior_ == FENV_CHECK_CTRB not supported by compiler");
+#endif
         }
     }
 }