diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 6748492014..b62fa53e11 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 gyp/test
 node_modules
 test/.node-gyp
+!test/node_modules
+build/
diff --git a/lib/build.js b/lib/build.js
index 0374fbc810..6c58167dcf 100644
--- a/lib/build.js
+++ b/lib/build.js
@@ -14,7 +14,9 @@ var fs = require('graceful-fs')
   , mkdirp = require('mkdirp')
   , exec = require('child_process').exec
   , processRelease = require('./process-release')
-  , win = process.platform == 'win32'
+  , win = process.platform === 'win32';
+if (win)
+  var findVS = require('windows-autoconf')
 
 exports.usage = 'Invokes `' + (win ? 'msbuild' : 'make') + '` and builds the module'
 
@@ -106,7 +108,7 @@ function build (gyp, argv, callback) {
     which(command, function (err, execPath) {
       if (err) {
         if (win && /not found/.test(err.message)) {
-          // On windows and no 'msbuild' found. Let's guess where it is
+          log.verbose('could not find "msbuild.exe" in PATH - finding location in registry')
           findMsbuild()
         } else {
           // Some other error or 'make' not found on Unix, report that to the user
@@ -122,61 +124,18 @@ function build (gyp, argv, callback) {
   /**
    * Search for the location of "msbuild.exe" file on Windows.
    */
-
   function findMsbuild () {
-    log.verbose('could not find "msbuild.exe" in PATH - finding location in registry')
-    var notfoundErr = 'Can\'t find "msbuild.exe". Do you have Microsoft Visual Studio C++ 2008+ installed?'
-    var cmd = 'reg query "HKLM\\Software\\Microsoft\\MSBuild\\ToolsVersions" /s'
-    if (process.arch !== 'ia32')
-      cmd += ' /reg:32'
-    exec(cmd, function (err, stdout, stderr) {
-      if (err) {
-        return callback(new Error(err.message + '\n' + notfoundErr))
+    var notfoundErr = 'Can\'t find "msbuild.exe". Do you have Microsoft Visual Studio installed?'
+    try {
+      var msbuild_path = findVS.locateMsbuild()
+      if (!msbuild_path) {
+        return callback(new Error(notfoundErr))
       }
-      var reVers = /ToolsVersions\\([^\\]+)$/i
-        , rePath = /\r\n[ \t]+MSBuildToolsPath[ \t]+REG_SZ[ \t]+([^\r]+)/i
-        , msbuilds = []
-        , r
-        , msbuildPath
-      stdout.split('\r\n\r\n').forEach(function(l) {
-        if (!l) return
-        l = l.trim()
-        if (r = reVers.exec(l.substring(0, l.indexOf('\r\n')))) {
-          var ver = parseFloat(r[1], 10)
-          if (ver >= 3.5) {
-            if (r = rePath.exec(l)) {
-              msbuilds.push({
-                version: ver,
-                path: r[1]
-              })
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      })
-      msbuilds.sort(function (x, y) {
-        return (x.version < y.version ? -1 : 1)
-      })
-      ;(function verifyMsbuild () {
-        if (!msbuilds.length) return callback(new Error(notfoundErr))
-        msbuildPath = path.resolve(msbuilds.pop().path, 'msbuild.exe')
-        fs.stat(msbuildPath, function (err, stat) {
-          if (err) {
-            if (err.code == 'ENOENT') {
-              if (msbuilds.length) {
-                return verifyMsbuild()
-              } else {
-                callback(new Error(notfoundErr))
-              }
-            } else {
-              callback(err)
-            }
-            return
-          }
-          command = msbuildPath
-          copyNodeLib()
-        })
-      })()
-    })
+    } catch (e) {
+      return callback(new Error(err.message + '\n' + notfoundErr))
+    }
+    command = msbuild_path
+    copyNodeLib()
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/lib/configure.js b/lib/configure.js
index d52b2902b0..503bda81d4 100644
--- a/lib/configure.js
+++ b/lib/configure.js
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@ var fs = require('graceful-fs')
   , cp = require('child_process')
   , extend = require('util')._extend
   , processRelease = require('./process-release')
-  , win = process.platform == 'win32'
+  , win = process.platform === 'win32'
   , findNodeDirectory = require('./find-node-directory')
   , msgFormat = require('util').format
+if (win)
+  var findVS = require('windows-autoconf')
 
 exports.usage = 'Generates ' + (win ? 'MSVC project files' : 'a Makefile') + ' for the current module'
 
@@ -39,15 +41,13 @@ function configure (gyp, argv, callback) {
       callback(err)
     } else {
       python = found
-      getNodeDir()
+	    // 'python' should be set by now
+	    process.env.PYTHON = python
+	    getNodeDir()
     }
   })
 
   function getNodeDir () {
-
-    // 'python' should be set by now
-    process.env.PYTHON = python
-
     if (gyp.opts.nodedir) {
       // --nodedir was specified. use that for the dev files
       nodeDir = gyp.opts.nodedir.replace(/^~/, osenv.home())
@@ -90,6 +90,24 @@ function configure (gyp, argv, callback) {
     })
   }
 
+  function findVisualStudio2017 (defaults) {
+    if (gyp.opts.msvs_version && gyp.opts.msvs_version !== '2017')
+      return
+
+    try {
+      var vsSetup = findVS.getVS2017Setup()
+      if (!vsSetup || !vsSetup.InstallationPath) return
+    } catch (_) {
+      return
+    }
+
+    gyp.opts.msvs_version = '2015'
+    process.env['GYP_MSVS_VERSION'] = 2015
+    process.env['GYP_MSVS_OVERRIDE_PATH'] = vsSetup.InstallationPath
+    defaults['msbuild_toolset'] = 'v141'
+    defaults['msvs_windows_target_platform_version'] = vsSetup.SDK
+  }
+
   function createConfigFile (err) {
     if (err) return callback(err)
 
@@ -137,6 +155,9 @@ function configure (gyp, argv, callback) {
     // disable -T "thin" static archives by default
     variables.standalone_static_library = gyp.opts.thin ? 0 : 1
 
+    if (win)
+      findVisualStudio2017(defaults)
+
     // loop through the rest of the opts and add the unknown ones as variables.
     // this allows for module-specific configure flags like:
     //
@@ -201,7 +222,7 @@ function configure (gyp, argv, callback) {
     }
 
     function hasMsvsVersion () {
-      return argv.some(function (arg) {
+      return argv.find(function (arg) {
         return arg.indexOf('msvs_version') === 0
       })
     }
@@ -317,9 +338,9 @@ function configure (gyp, argv, callback) {
 }
 
 /**
- * Returns the first file or directory from an array of candidates that is 
+ * Returns the first file or directory from an array of candidates that is
  * readable by the current user, or undefined if none of the candidates are
- * readable. 
+ * readable.
  */
 function findAccessibleSync (logprefix, dir, candidates) {
   for (var next = 0; next < candidates.length; next++) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 068271addf..86386df3c5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
     "rimraf": "2",
     "semver": "~5.3.0",
     "tar": "^2.0.0",
+    "windows-autoconf": "^1.9.7",
     "which": "1"
   },
   "engines": {