diff --git a/msvc_build_libraries.py b/msvc_build_libraries.py
index 0fa8b5805..458ad79d8 100755
--- a/msvc_build_libraries.py
+++ b/msvc_build_libraries.py
@@ -10,15 +10,26 @@
 import shutil
 import hashlib
 import zipfile
-import tempfile
 import argparse
 import subprocess
 import urllib.request
+import os
+import ssl
+import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
 
-OUTPUT = Path("msvc_temp") # output folder
+if (platform.system() == "Windows"):
+  print("Creating msvc_sdk for compilation without VS.")
+else:
+  print("Creating msvc_sdk for cross platform compilation to Windows.")
+
+OUTPUT = Path(tempfile.mkdtemp()) # output folder
 SDK_OUTPUT = Path("msvc_sdk")
 
+if (not os.environ.get('PYTHONHTTPSVERIFY', '') and
+        getattr(ssl, '_create_unverified_context', None)):
+  ssl._create_default_https_context = ssl._create_unverified_context
+
 MANIFEST_URL = "https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/channel"
 
 def download(url):
@@ -57,7 +68,6 @@ def get_msi_cabs(msi):
 
 def first(items, cond):
   return next(item for item in items if cond(item))
-  
 
 ### parse command-line arguments
 
@@ -135,9 +145,7 @@ def first(items, cond):
   if not accept or accept[0].lower() != "y":
     exit(0)
 
-shutil.rmtree(OUTPUT, ignore_errors = True)
 shutil.rmtree(SDK_OUTPUT, ignore_errors = True)
-OUTPUT.mkdir()
 total_download = 0
 
 ### download Windows SDK
@@ -157,7 +165,7 @@ def first(items, cond):
   msvc_packages.append(f"microsoft.vc.{msvc_ver}.crt.{arch}.desktop.base")
   msvc_packages.append(f"microsoft.vc.{msvc_ver}.crt.{arch}.store.base")
   msvc_packages.append(f"microsoft.vc.{msvc_ver}.asan.{arch}.base")
-  
+
 for pkg in msvc_packages:
   p = first(packages[pkg], lambda p: p.get("language") in (None, "en-US"))
   for payload in p["payloads"]:
@@ -226,15 +234,10 @@ def first(items, cond):
 
 SDK_OUTPUT.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
 
-
-
 for arch in archs:
   out_dir = SDK_OUTPUT / arch
   shutil.copytree(ucrt / arch, out_dir, dirs_exist_ok=True)
-  shutil.copytree(um / arch, out_dir, dirs_exist_ok=True)  
+  shutil.copytree(um / arch, out_dir, dirs_exist_ok=True)
   shutil.copytree(lib / arch, out_dir, dirs_exist_ok=True)
 
-### cleanup
-
-shutil.rmtree(OUTPUT, ignore_errors=True)
-
+print("Congratulations! The 'msvc_sdk' directory was successfully generated.")
diff --git a/releasenotes.md b/releasenotes.md
index 34b2199e8..7a8990f46 100644
--- a/releasenotes.md
+++ b/releasenotes.md
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 - Regression: duplicate symbols with static variable declared in macro #1248.
 - Unsplat with named parameters was accidentally disallowed.
 - Reference parameter doesn't work with vector subscript #1250.
+- The msvc_sdk script failed to work properly on windows when run in folders with spaces.
 
 ### Stdlib changes
 - Added `remove_first_item` `remove_last_item` and `remove_item` as aliases for the `match` functions.