diff --git a/appveyor.yml b/appveyor.yml
index 1fb594cb2..dfc291922 100644
--- a/appveyor.yml
+++ b/appveyor.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ platform:
   - x64
 
 configuration:
-  - Release
+  - Debug
 
 install:
   - cmd: git clone https://github.com/ogrisel/python-appveyor-demo
diff --git a/subtree/rabit/windows/rabit/rabit.vcxproj b/subtree/rabit/windows/rabit/rabit.vcxproj
index 5948e4c17..c9594b182 100644
--- a/subtree/rabit/windows/rabit/rabit.vcxproj
+++ b/subtree/rabit/windows/rabit/rabit.vcxproj
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
     <CharacterSet>MultiByte</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'" Label="Configuration">
-    <ConfigurationType>Application</ConfigurationType>
+    <ConfigurationType>StaticLibrary</ConfigurationType>
     <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
     <CharacterSet>MultiByte</CharacterSet>
   </PropertyGroup>
diff --git a/windows/xgboost.sln b/windows/xgboost.sln
index 7bd8db5b2..b1371a266 100644
--- a/windows/xgboost.sln
+++ b/windows/xgboost.sln
@@ -22,15 +22,16 @@ Global
 	GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
 		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Debug|Win32.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32
 		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Debug|Win32.Build.0 = Debug|Win32
-		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|x64
-		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Debug|x64.Build.0 = Release|x64
+		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Debug|x64
+		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Debug|x64.Build.0 = Debug|x64
 		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Release|Win32.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32
 		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Release|Win32.Build.0 = Release|Win32
 		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Release|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|x64
 		{19766C3F-7508-49D0-BAAC-0988FCC9970C}.Release|x64.Build.0 = Release|x64
 		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Debug|Win32.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32
 		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Debug|Win32.Build.0 = Debug|Win32
-		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32
+		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Debug|x64
+		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Debug|x64.Build.0 = Debug|x64
 		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Release|Win32.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32
 		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Release|Win32.Build.0 = Release|Win32
 		{B0E22ADD-7849-4D3A-BDC6-0932C5F11ED5}.Release|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|x64
@@ -46,7 +47,6 @@ Global
 		{20A0E4D7-20C7-4EC1-BDF6-0D469CE239AA}.Debug|Win32.ActiveCfg = Debug|Win32
 		{20A0E4D7-20C7-4EC1-BDF6-0D469CE239AA}.Debug|Win32.Build.0 = Debug|Win32
 		{20A0E4D7-20C7-4EC1-BDF6-0D469CE239AA}.Debug|x64.ActiveCfg = Debug|x64
-		{20A0E4D7-20C7-4EC1-BDF6-0D469CE239AA}.Debug|x64.Build.0 = Debug|x64
 		{20A0E4D7-20C7-4EC1-BDF6-0D469CE239AA}.Release|Win32.ActiveCfg = Release|Win32
 		{20A0E4D7-20C7-4EC1-BDF6-0D469CE239AA}.Release|Win32.Build.0 = Release|Win32
 		{20A0E4D7-20C7-4EC1-BDF6-0D469CE239AA}.Release|x64.ActiveCfg = Release|x64
diff --git a/windows/xgboost/xgboost.vcxproj b/windows/xgboost/xgboost.vcxproj
index c14d84645..00846f36a 100644
--- a/windows/xgboost/xgboost.vcxproj
+++ b/windows/xgboost/xgboost.vcxproj
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <GenerateDebugInformation>true</GenerateDebugInformation>
+      <AdditionalDependencies>$(OutDir)\rabit.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
     </Link>
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|Win32'">
diff --git a/windows/xgboost_wrapper/xgboost_wrapper.vcxproj b/windows/xgboost_wrapper/xgboost_wrapper.vcxproj
index 62f7d0fd3..cff3cde65 100644
--- a/windows/xgboost_wrapper/xgboost_wrapper.vcxproj
+++ b/windows/xgboost_wrapper/xgboost_wrapper.vcxproj
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <GenerateDebugInformation>true</GenerateDebugInformation>
+      <AdditionalDependencies>$(OutDir)\rabit.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
     </Link>
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|Win32'">