diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 55b30e1ec..4f9ca20ee 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 project(SuperTuxKart)
 set(PROJECT_VERSION "0.8.1")
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.1)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.4)
 if(NOT (CMAKE_MAJOR_VERSION VERSION_LESS 3))
   cmake_policy(SET CMP0043 OLD)
 endif()
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ else()
     set(WIIUSE_BUILD ON)
 endif()
 
-if(MINGW)
+if(MINGW OR CYGWIN)
     set(USE_WIIUSE OFF)
 endif()
 
diff --git a/lib/irrlicht/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/irrlicht/CMakeLists.txt
index 9c9429dc1..8fcd23c92 100644
--- a/lib/irrlicht/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/irrlicht/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ if(UNIX AND USE_XRANDR)
     add_definitions(-D_IRR_LINUX_X11_RANDR_)
 endif()
 
+if(CYGWIN)
+    add_definitions(-DNO_IRR_COMPILE_WITH_JOYSTICK_EVENTS_)
+endif()
+
 set(IRRLICHT_SOURCES
 source/Irrlicht/CGUIListBox.cpp
 source/Irrlicht/CZBuffer.cpp
diff --git a/lib/irrlicht/source/Irrlicht/COSOperator.cpp b/lib/irrlicht/source/Irrlicht/COSOperator.cpp
index 0899d1dd0..5ade8a5b4 100644
--- a/lib/irrlicht/source/Irrlicht/COSOperator.cpp
+++ b/lib/irrlicht/source/Irrlicht/COSOperator.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #else
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
-#ifndef _IRR_SOLARIS_PLATFORM_
+#if !defined(_IRR_SOLARIS_PLATFORM_) && !defined(__CYGWIN__)
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/sysctl.h>
 #endif
diff --git a/src/utils/translation.hpp b/src/utils/translation.hpp
index 1067264d5..aecfe18c9 100644
--- a/src/utils/translation.hpp
+++ b/src/utils/translation.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 #  define _(String, ...)        (translations->fribidize(StringUtils::insertValues(translations->w_gettext(String), ##__VA_ARGS__)))
 #undef _C
+#undef _P
 #  define _C(Ctx, String, ...)  (translations->fribidize(StringUtils::insertValues(translations->w_gettext(String, Ctx), ##__VA_ARGS__)))
 #  define _P(Singular, Plural, Num, ...) (translations->fribidize(StringUtils::insertValues(translations->w_ngettext(Singular, Plural, Num), Num, ##__VA_ARGS__)))
 #  define _CP(Ctx, Singular, Plural, Num, ...) (translations->fribidize(StringUtils::insertValues(translations->w_ngettext(Singular, Plural, Num, Ctx), Num, ##__VA_ARGS__)))