diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b5578c4..a075d39 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ compilers include:
 
 * GCC 10
 * Clang 11
-* Visual Studio 2019
+* Microsoft Visual C++ 2019
 
 Older versions of GCC and Clang may work, with no guarantees.
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 80306fd..49be384 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 project('libcubescript', ['cpp'],
     version: '0.1.0',
     default_options: [
-        'buildtype=debugoptimized', 'cpp_std=c++2a',
-        'warning_level=3', 'cpp_rtti=false'
+        'buildtype=debugoptimized', 'warning_level=3', 'cpp_rtti=false',
+        'cpp_std=none'
     ],
     meson_version: '>=0.50'
 )
@@ -29,6 +29,24 @@ if get_option('buildtype') != 'plain'
     endif
 endif
 
+# Meson does not support C++20 std in a portable way in this version
+# unless specified explicitly, have our own logic which will guess it
+if get_option('cpp_std') == 'none'
+    if cxx.has_argument('-std=c++20')
+        # modern gcc/clang
+        extra_cxxflags += '-std=c++20'
+    elif cxx.has_argument('-std=c++2a')
+        # older gcc/clang
+        extra_cxxflags += '-std=c++2a'
+    elif cxx.has_argument('/std:c++20')
+        # future msvc++? not supported anywhere yet
+        extra_cxxflags += '/std:c++20'
+    elif cxx.has_argument('/std:c++latest')
+        # msvc++ 2019
+        extra_cxxflags += '/std:c++latest'
+    endif
+endif
+
 subdir('src')
 subdir('tools')