diff --git a/include/boost/config/compiler/borland.hpp b/include/boost/config/compiler/borland.hpp
index 45d3f8b9..989bad08 100644
--- a/include/boost/config/compiler/borland.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/config/compiler/borland.hpp
@@ -34,6 +34,12 @@
 #  define BOOST_NO_USING_TEMPLATE
 #endif
 
+//
+// check for exception handling support:
+#ifndef _CPPUNWIND
+#  define BOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS
+#endif
+
 #define BOOST_COMPILER "Borland C++ version " BOOST_STRINGIZE(__BORLANDC__)
 
 //
diff --git a/include/boost/config/compiler/visualc.hpp b/include/boost/config/compiler/visualc.hpp
index d7468e21..3f8b5fe5 100644
--- a/include/boost/config/compiler/visualc.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/config/compiler/visualc.hpp
@@ -58,6 +58,13 @@
 #  define BOOST_NO_INTRINSIC_WCHAR_T
 #endif
 
+//
+// check for exception handling support:
+#ifndef _CPPUNWIND
+#  define BOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS
+#endif
+
+
 #define BOOST_COMPILER "Microsoft Visual C++ version " BOOST_STRINGIZE(_MSC_VER)
 
 //