diff --git a/cmake/download_test_data.cmake b/cmake/download_test_data.cmake
index 64845bd4..0940382a 100644
--- a/cmake/download_test_data.cmake
+++ b/cmake/download_test_data.cmake
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ message(STATUS "Operating system: ${OS_VERSION_STRINGS}")
 
 # determine the compiler (for debug and support purposes)
 if (MSVC)
-    execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} OUTPUT_VARIABLE CXX_VERSION_RESULT OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
+    execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} OUTPUT_VARIABLE CXX_VERSION_RESULT OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE ERROR_VARIABLE CXX_VERSION_RESULT ERROR_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
     set(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER "${CXX_VERSION_RESULT}; MSVC_VERSION=${MSVC_VERSION}; MSVC_TOOLSET_VERSION=${MSVC_TOOLSET_VERSION}")
 else()
     execute_process(COMMAND ${CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER} --version OUTPUT_VARIABLE CXX_VERSION_RESULT OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)