diff --git a/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx b/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
index 0135db49ce..7ac06d88de 100644
--- a/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmCoreTryCompile.cxx
@@ -359,9 +359,25 @@ void cmCoreTryCompile::CleanupFiles(const char* binDir)
           {
           if(!cmSystemTools::RemoveFile(fullPath.c_str()))
             {
-            std::string m = "Remove failed on file: ";
-            m += fullPath;
-            cmSystemTools::ReportLastSystemError(m.c_str());
+            bool removed = false;
+            int numAttempts = 0;
+            // sometimes anti-virus software hangs on to
+            // new files and we can not delete them, so try
+            // 5 times with .5 second delay between tries.
+            while(!removed && numAttempts < 5)
+              {
+              cmSystemTools::Delay(500);
+              if(cmSystemTools::RemoveFile(fullPath.c_str()))
+                {
+                removed = true;
+                }
+              }
+            if(!removed)
+              {
+              std::string m = "Remove failed on file: ";
+              m += fullPath;
+              cmSystemTools::ReportLastSystemError(m.c_str());
+              }
             }
           }
         }