--- src/hunspell/w_char.hxx
+++ src/hunspell/w_char.hxx
@@ -42,9 +42,8 @@
 
 #if __cplusplus >= 202002L
 #include <bit>
-#else
+#endif
 #include <cstring>
-#endif
 
 #ifndef GCC
 struct w_char {
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@
   {
 #if defined(__i386__) || defined(_M_IX86) || defined(_M_X64)
     //use little-endian optimized version
-#if __cplusplus >= 202002L
+#if __cplusplus >= 202002L && defined __cpp_lib_bit_cast && __cpp_lib_bit_cast >= 201806L
     return std::bit_cast<unsigned short>(*this);
 #else
     unsigned short u;