diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9fb9f4c51b..e3b146b154 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -35,7 +35,19 @@ target_include_directories(
     ${NLOHMANN_JSON_TARGET_NAME}
     INTERFACE $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:include/>
 )
-            
+
+## add debug view defintion file for msvc (natvis) [cmake <= 3.2.2 does not support export of source files]
+if (MSVC AND CMAKE_VERSION VERSION_GREATER "3.2.2")
+    set(NLOHMANN_ADD_NATVIS TRUE)
+    set(NLOHMANN_NATVIS_FILE "nlohmann_json.natvis")
+    target_sources(
+        ${NLOHMANN_JSON_TARGET_NAME} 
+        INTERFACE 
+            $<INSTALL_INTERFACE:${NLOHMANN_NATVIS_FILE}>
+            $<BUILD_INTERFACE:${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${NLOHMANN_NATVIS_FILE}>  
+    )
+endif()
+           
 ##
 ## TESTS
 ## create and configure the unit test target
@@ -67,6 +79,12 @@ install(
     FILES ${NLOHMANN_JSON_CMAKE_PROJECT_CONFIG_FILE} ${NLOHMANN_JSON_CMAKE_VERSION_CONFIG_FILE}
     DESTINATION ${NLOHMANN_JSON_CONFIG_INSTALL_DIR}
 )
+if (NLOHMANN_ADD_NATVIS)
+    install(
+        FILES ${NLOHMANN_NATVIS_FILE}
+        DESTINATION .
+)
+endif()
 install(
     TARGETS ${NLOHMANN_JSON_TARGET_NAME}
     EXPORT ${NLOHMANN_JSON_TARGETS_EXPORT_NAME}
diff --git a/nlohmann_json.natvis b/nlohmann_json.natvis
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..63e3f8423d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nlohmann_json.natvis
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<AutoVisualizer xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/vstudio/debugger/natvis/2010">
+    <Type Name="nlohmann::basic_json&lt;*&gt;">
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::null">null</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::object">{*(m_value.object)}</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::array">{*(m_value.array)}</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::string">{*(m_value.string)}</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::boolean">{m_value.boolean}</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::number_integer">{m_value.number_integer}</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::number_unsigned">{m_value.number_unsigned}</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::number_float">{m_value.number_float}</DisplayString>
+        <DisplayString Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::discarded">discarded</DisplayString>
+        <Expand>
+            <ExpandedItem Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::object">
+                *(m_value.object),view(simple)
+            </ExpandedItem>
+            <ExpandedItem Condition="m_type == nlohmann::detail::value_t::array">
+                *(m_value.array),view(simple)
+            </ExpandedItem>
+        </Expand>
+    </Type>
+    
+    <!--    skip the pair first/second members in the treeview while traversing a map. 
+            Only works in VS 2015 Update 2 and beyond using the new visualization -->
+    <Type Name="std::pair&lt;*, nlohmann::basic_json&lt;*&gt;&gt;" IncludeView="MapHelper">
+        <DisplayString>{second}</DisplayString>
+        <Expand>
+            <ExpandedItem>second</ExpandedItem>
+        </Expand>
+    </Type>
+    
+</AutoVisualizer>
diff --git a/test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/CMakeLists.txt
index c72867839f..89f5c22129 100644
--- a/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ foreach(file ${files})
 
     target_compile_definitions(${testcase} PRIVATE CATCH_CONFIG_FAST_COMPILE)
     target_include_directories(${testcase} PRIVATE "thirdparty/catch")
-    target_link_libraries(${testcase} ${JSON_TARGET_NAME})
+    target_link_libraries(${testcase} ${NLOHMANN_JSON_TARGET_NAME})
 
     if(NOT MSVC)
         set_target_properties(${testcase} PROPERTIES COMPILE_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -Wno-deprecated -Wno-float-equal")