diff --git a/GPL/nativeBuildProperties.gradle b/GPL/nativeBuildProperties.gradle
index 75ee3492d0..759e2c0ceb 100644
--- a/GPL/nativeBuildProperties.gradle
+++ b/GPL/nativeBuildProperties.gradle
@@ -49,11 +49,9 @@ task CheckToolChain {
 	// Native C/Cpp plugins will trigger failure if no tool chain found
 	doFirst {
 		if (org.gradle.internal.os.OperatingSystem.current().isWindows()) {
-			// ensure that required MS Visual Studio is installed where expected
-			String msg = "Microsoft Visual Studio install not found: ${VISUAL_STUDIO_INSTALL_DIR}\n" + 
-				"Adjust path in Ghidra/GPL/vsconfig.gradle if needed."
-			if (!file(VISUAL_STUDIO_INSTALL_DIR).exists()) {
-				throw new GradleException(msg);
+			// ensure that required MS Visual Studio is installed
+			if (!VISUAL_STUDIO_INSTALL_DIR) {
+				throw new GradleException("Visual Studio not found!");
 			}	
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/GPL/vsconfig.gradle b/GPL/vsconfig.gradle
index 4fee5e68cf..a3e4d3c6d8 100644
--- a/GPL/vsconfig.gradle
+++ b/GPL/vsconfig.gradle
@@ -13,17 +13,27 @@ if (!hasProperty("VISUAL_STUDIO_INSTALL_DIR")) {
 def configureVisualStudio() { 
 	
 	if (org.gradle.internal.os.OperatingSystem.current().isWindows()) {
+		
+		// Initialize variables
+		rootProject.ext.VISUAL_STUDIO_INSTALL_DIR = ""
+		rootProject.ext.VISUAL_STUDIO_TOOLS_VERSION_DEFAULT = ""
+		rootProject.ext.VISUAL_STUDIO_SDK_DIR_DEFAULT = ""
+		rootProject.ext.VISUAL_STUDIO_SDK_VERSION_DEFAULT = ""
+		rootProject.ext.VISUAL_STUDIO_SDK_VERSION_OVERRIDE = ""
+		rootProject.ext.VISUAL_STUDIO_VCVARS_CMD = ""
 	
 		// Use vswhere.exe to search for latest Visual Studio installation 
 		println "Searching for latest Visual Studio and required components..."
 		def vswherePath = "C:\\Program Files (x86)\\Microsoft Visual Studio\\Installer\\vswhere.exe"
 		if (!file(vswherePath).exists()) {
-			throw new GradleException("Required file does not exist: " + vswherePath);
+			println "Visual Studio not found!"
+			return
 		}
 		def vswhereOutput = "${vswherePath} -latest -format json".execute().text.trim()
 		def vswhereJson = new groovy.json.JsonSlurper().parseText(vswhereOutput);
 		if (vswhereJson.isEmpty()) {
-			throw new GradleException("Failed to find Visual Studio!")
+			println "Visual Studio not found!"
+			return
 		}
 		def vsInstallDir = vswhereJson[0].installationPath
 		println "  -> Installation Directory: ${vsInstallDir}"
diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/PDB/build.gradle b/Ghidra/Features/PDB/build.gradle
index 9e4e4d4d88..8afedd266e 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/PDB/build.gradle
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/PDB/build.gradle
@@ -43,19 +43,21 @@ if ("win64".equals(getCurrentPlatformName())) {
 
 	String makeName = "win64PDBMake"
 	task(type: Exec, makeName) {
-	
+
 		def projectPath = projectDir.toString()
 		def solutionBatchFilePath = projectPath + "/build/buildSolution.bat"
-		
 		def projectPathWindows = projectPath.replace("/", File.separator)
 		def solutionPathWindows = "${projectPathWindows}\\src\\pdb\\pdb.sln"
-		def platformToolset = 'v' + VISUAL_STUDIO_TOOLS_VERSION_DEFAULT.substring(0, 4).replace('.', '');
-		def windowsTargetPlatformVersion = VISUAL_STUDIO_SDK_VERSION_OVERRIDE ?: VISUAL_STUDIO_SDK_VERSION_DEFAULT
 		
 		doFirst {
 			file("build/os/win64").mkdirs()
+			
+			def platformToolset = 'v' + VISUAL_STUDIO_TOOLS_VERSION_DEFAULT.substring(0, 4).replace('.', '');
+			def windowsTargetPlatformVersion = VISUAL_STUDIO_SDK_VERSION_OVERRIDE ?: VISUAL_STUDIO_SDK_VERSION_DEFAULT		
 			def msbuildCmd = "msbuild ${solutionPathWindows} /p:Configuration=Release /p:PlatformToolset=${platformToolset} /p:WindowsTargetPlatformVersion=${windowsTargetPlatformVersion}"
+			
 			println "Executing: " + msbuildCmd
+			
 			new File(solutionBatchFilePath).withWriter { out ->
 				out.println "call " + VISUAL_STUDIO_VCVARS_CMD
 				out.println msbuildCmd