diff --git a/src/os_vms.c b/src/os_vms.c
index 84f84ac71..61db3a80b 100644
--- a/src/os_vms.c
+++ b/src/os_vms.c
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ RealWaitForChar(
 	    return 0;
 	} else if (msec < 0) {
 	    /* no time-out; wait on indefinitely */
-	    continue;
+	    return 1; /* fakeout to force a wait in vms_read() */
 	} else {
 	    /* time-out needs to be checked */
 	    status = sys$gettim(&time_curr);
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 28a053a58..55892048d 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -761,6 +761,8 @@ static char *(features[]) =
 
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
+/**/
+    1749,
 /**/
     1748,
 /**/
diff --git a/src/vim.h b/src/vim.h
index 4b4185790..df396ec05 100644
--- a/src/vim.h
+++ b/src/vim.h
@@ -2154,8 +2154,9 @@ typedef enum {
 # define number_width(x) 7
 #endif
 
-/* This must come after including proto.h */
-#if !(defined(FEAT_MBYTE) && defined(WIN3264))
+/* This must come after including proto.h.
+ * For VMS this is defined in macros.h. */
+#if !(defined(FEAT_MBYTE) && defined(WIN3264)) && !defined(VMS)
 # define mch_open(n, m, p)	open((n), (m), (p))
 # define mch_fopen(n, p)	fopen((n), (p))
 #endif