diff --git a/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp b/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp
index b77bbfe23..5c1e60554 100644
--- a/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp
+++ b/code/Common/BaseImporter.cpp
@@ -67,7 +67,20 @@ using namespace Assimp;
 // Constructor to be privately used by Importer
 BaseImporter::BaseImporter() AI_NO_EXCEPT
 : m_progress() {
-    // nothing to do here
+    /**
+    * Assimp Importer
+    * unit conversions available
+    * if you need another measurment unit add it below.
+    * it's currently defined in assimp that we prefer meters.
+    *
+    * NOTE: Initialised here rather than in the header file
+    * to workaround a VS2013 bug with brace initialisers
+    * */
+    importerUnits[ImporterUnits::M] = 1.0;
+    importerUnits[ImporterUnits::CM] = 0.01;
+    importerUnits[ImporterUnits::MM] = 0.001;
+    importerUnits[ImporterUnits::INCHES] = 0.0254;
+    importerUnits[ImporterUnits::FEET] = 0.3048;
 }
 
 // ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/include/assimp/BaseImporter.h b/include/assimp/BaseImporter.h
index bd0451be3..ad8a3dafd 100644
--- a/include/assimp/BaseImporter.h
+++ b/include/assimp/BaseImporter.h
@@ -196,16 +196,13 @@ public:
     /**
      * Assimp Importer
      * unit conversions available 
-     * if you need another measurment unit add it below.
-     * it's currently defined in assimp that we prefer meters.
+     * NOTE: Valid options are initialised in the
+     * constructor in the implementation file to
+     * work around a VS2013 compiler bug if support
+     * for that compiler is dropped in the future
+     * initialisation can be moved back here
      * */
-    std::map<ImporterUnits, double> importerUnits = {
-        {ImporterUnits::M, 1},
-        {ImporterUnits::CM, 0.01},
-        {ImporterUnits::MM, 0.001},
-        {ImporterUnits::INCHES, 0.0254},
-        {ImporterUnits::FEET, 0.3048}
-    };
+    std::map<ImporterUnits, double> importerUnits;
 
     virtual void SetApplicationUnits( const ImporterUnits& unit )
     {