diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 521142fc..ddb670a8 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 Bug Fixes
 ---------
 
+* Fixed #775; compile error on Windows.
+
 * Fixed #763; when talking to a ZMTP v1 peer (libzmq 2.2), a socket would
   send an extra identity frame at the start of the connection.
 
diff --git a/src/socket_base.cpp b/src/socket_base.cpp
index 935c0099..a1b1ec0a 100644
--- a/src/socket_base.cpp
+++ b/src/socket_base.cpp
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ zmq::socket_base_t *zmq::socket_base_t::create (int type_, class ctx_t *parent_,
             errno = EINVAL;
             return NULL;
     }
-    if (s->mailbox.get_fd () == -1)
+    if (s->mailbox.get_fd () == retired_fd)
         return NULL;
 
     alloc_assert (s);