diff --git a/SCons/Config/ms b/SCons/Config/ms
index 11c22989..ecd9548a 100644
--- a/SCons/Config/ms
+++ b/SCons/Config/ms
@@ -18,12 +18,16 @@ defenv['SUBSYS_CON'] = '/subsystem:console'
 defenv['MSVCRT_FLAG'] = '/MD'
 defenv['STDCALL'] = '__stdcall'
 
-if float(defenv['MSVS_VERSION'].replace('Exp','')) >= 8.0:
+msvs_version = float(defenv['MSVS_VERSION'].replace('Exp',''))
+if msvs_version >= 8.0:
 	defenv['EXCEPTION_FLAG'] = '/EHsc'
 	defenv.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/GS-'])
 	defenv.Append(CPPDEFINES = ['_CRT_SECURE_NO_WARNINGS', '_CRT_NONSTDC_NO_WARNINGS', '_CRT_SECURE_NO_DEPRECATE', '_CRT_NON_CONFORMING_SWPRINTFS'])
 else:
 	defenv['EXCEPTION_FLAG'] = '/GX'
+if msvs_version < 10.0:
+	# not even /ALIGN:512 works for vc10... fails to load process
+	defenv.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['/opt:nowin98'])
 
 ### defines
 
@@ -99,13 +103,11 @@ stub_env.Append(CPPPATH = ['#$BUILD_CONFIG'])
 if not defenv['DEBUG']:
 	stub_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/O1'])               # optimize for size
 stub_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/W3'])                 # level 3 warnings
-
-stub_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['/opt:nowin98'])      # 512 bytes align
+stub_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/FAcs'])               # full listing files
+stub_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/Fa${TARGET}.lst'])    # listing file name
 
 stub_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['$NODEFLIBS_FLAG'])   # no default libraries
 stub_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['$MAP_FLAG'])         # generate map file
-stub_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/FAcs'])               # full listing files
-stub_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/Fa${TARGET}.lst'])    # listing file name
 
 stub_uenv = stub_env.Clone()
 stub_uenv.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['/entry:wWinMain'])  # Unicode entry point
@@ -125,7 +127,6 @@ makensis_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/W3'])             # level 3 warnings
 makensis_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/FAcs'])               # full listing files
 makensis_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/Fa${TARGET}.lst'])    # listing file name
 
-makensis_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['/opt:nowin98'])  # 512 bytes align
 makensis_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['$MAP_FLAG'])     # generate map file
 if defenv['UNICODE']:
 	makensis_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['/STACK:2097152'])  # need 2 MB of stack in Unicode (default is 1 MB)
@@ -138,7 +139,6 @@ if not defenv['DEBUG']:
 	plugin_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/O1'])             # optimize for size
 plugin_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/W3'])               # level 3 warnings
 
-plugin_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['/opt:nowin98'])    # 512 bytes align
 plugin_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['$MAP_FLAG'])       # generate map file
 
 plugin_uenv = plugin_env.Clone()
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ if not defenv['DEBUG']:
 	util_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/O1'])            # optimize for speed
 util_env.Append(CCFLAGS = ['/W3'])              # level 3 warnings
 
-util_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['/opt:nowin98'])   # 512 bytes align
 util_env.Append(LINKFLAGS = ['$MAP_FLAG'])      # generate map file
 
 ### cross-platform util environment