diff --git a/Help/command/include_external_msproject.rst b/Help/command/include_external_msproject.rst
index 18a2b50805..335282a30c 100644
--- a/Help/command/include_external_msproject.rst
+++ b/Help/command/include_external_msproject.rst
@@ -20,3 +20,7 @@ command to make things depend on the external project.
 specify the type of project, id (GUID) of the project and the name of
 the target platform.  This is useful for projects requiring values
 other than the default (e.g.  WIX projects).
+
+If the imported project has different configuration names than the
+current project, set the :prop_tgt:`MAP_IMPORTED_CONFIG_<CONFIG>`
+target property to specify the mapping.
diff --git a/Help/release/dev/include_external_msproject-map-config.rst b/Help/release/dev/include_external_msproject-map-config.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d5f7a7f3aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Help/release/dev/include_external_msproject-map-config.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+include_external_msproject-map-config
+-------------------------------------
+
+* The :command:`include_external_msproject` command learned to use
+  the :prop_tgt:`MAP_IMPORTED_CONFIG_<CONFIG>` target property
+  to map current configurations to the external configurations.
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.cxx
index 55a788f0d8..3f8d3817ce 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.cxx
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator::WriteExternalProject(
 // Write a dsp file into the SLN file, Note, that dependencies from
 // executables to the libraries it uses are also done here
 void cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator::WriteProjectConfigurations(
-  std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name, cmStateEnums::TargetType,
+  std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name, cmGeneratorTarget const& target,
   std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
   const std::set<std::string>& configsPartOfDefaultBuild,
   std::string const& platformMapping)
@@ -259,13 +259,18 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator::WriteProjectConfigurations(
   std::string guid = this->GetGUID(name);
   for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator i = configs.begin();
        i != configs.end(); ++i) {
-    fout << "\t\t{" << guid << "}." << *i << ".ActiveCfg = " << *i << "|"
-         << platformName << std::endl;
+    const char* dstConfig = target.GetProperty("MAP_IMPORTED_CONFIG_" +
+                                               cmSystemTools::UpperCase(*i));
+    if (dstConfig == CM_NULLPTR) {
+      dstConfig = i->c_str();
+    }
+    fout << "\t\t{" << guid << "}." << *i << ".ActiveCfg = " << dstConfig
+         << "|" << platformName << std::endl;
     std::set<std::string>::const_iterator ci =
       configsPartOfDefaultBuild.find(*i);
     if (!(ci == configsPartOfDefaultBuild.end())) {
-      fout << "\t\t{" << guid << "}." << *i << ".Build.0 = " << *i << "|"
-           << platformName << std::endl;
+      fout << "\t\t{" << guid << "}." << *i << ".Build.0 = " << dstConfig
+           << "|" << platformName << std::endl;
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.h
index 99530479ec..c65a84ac86 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio71Generator.h
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ protected:
                                    const char* path,
                                    cmGeneratorTarget const* t);
   virtual void WriteProjectConfigurations(
-    std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name, cmStateEnums::TargetType type,
-    std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
+    std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name,
+    cmGeneratorTarget const& target, std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
     const std::set<std::string>& configsPartOfDefaultBuild,
     const std::string& platformMapping = "");
   virtual void WriteExternalProject(std::ostream& fout,
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
index e7fb2031b9..2d0abf9cf6 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.cxx
@@ -356,16 +356,16 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator::WriteTargetConfigurations(
     if (expath) {
       std::set<std::string> allConfigurations(configs.begin(), configs.end());
       const char* mapping = target->GetProperty("VS_PLATFORM_MAPPING");
-      this->WriteProjectConfigurations(
-        fout, target->GetName().c_str(), target->GetType(), configs,
-        allConfigurations, mapping ? mapping : "");
+      this->WriteProjectConfigurations(fout, target->GetName().c_str(),
+                                       *target, configs, allConfigurations,
+                                       mapping ? mapping : "");
     } else {
       const std::set<std::string>& configsPartOfDefaultBuild =
         this->IsPartOfDefaultBuild(configs, projectTargets, target);
       const char* vcprojName = target->GetProperty("GENERATOR_FILE_NAME");
       if (vcprojName) {
-        this->WriteProjectConfigurations(fout, vcprojName, target->GetType(),
-                                         configs, configsPartOfDefaultBuild);
+        this->WriteProjectConfigurations(fout, vcprojName, *target, configs,
+                                         configsPartOfDefaultBuild);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h
index 1f96cc6aec..32a8d6056b 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio7Generator.h
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ protected:
                                    const char* path,
                                    cmGeneratorTarget const* t) = 0;
   virtual void WriteProjectConfigurations(
-    std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name, cmStateEnums::TargetType type,
-    std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
+    std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name,
+    cmGeneratorTarget const& target, std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
     const std::set<std::string>& configsPartOfDefaultBuild,
     const std::string& platformMapping = "") = 0;
   virtual void WriteSLNGlobalSections(std::ostream& fout,
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx
index 8353a3f310..634db7ff85 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::WriteSolutionConfigurations(
 }
 
 void cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::WriteProjectConfigurations(
-  std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name, cmStateEnums::TargetType type,
+  std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name, cmGeneratorTarget const& target,
   std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
   const std::set<std::string>& configsPartOfDefaultBuild,
   std::string const& platformMapping)
@@ -361,8 +361,13 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::WriteProjectConfigurations(
   std::string guid = this->GetGUID(name);
   for (std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator i = configs.begin();
        i != configs.end(); ++i) {
+    const char* dstConfig = target.GetProperty("MAP_IMPORTED_CONFIG_" +
+                                               cmSystemTools::UpperCase(*i));
+    if (dstConfig == CM_NULLPTR) {
+      dstConfig = i->c_str();
+    }
     fout << "\t\t{" << guid << "}." << *i << "|" << this->GetPlatformName()
-         << ".ActiveCfg = " << *i << "|"
+         << ".ActiveCfg = " << dstConfig << "|"
          << (!platformMapping.empty() ? platformMapping
                                       : this->GetPlatformName())
          << "\n";
@@ -370,14 +375,14 @@ void cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::WriteProjectConfigurations(
       configsPartOfDefaultBuild.find(*i);
     if (!(ci == configsPartOfDefaultBuild.end())) {
       fout << "\t\t{" << guid << "}." << *i << "|" << this->GetPlatformName()
-           << ".Build.0 = " << *i << "|"
+           << ".Build.0 = " << dstConfig << "|"
            << (!platformMapping.empty() ? platformMapping
                                         : this->GetPlatformName())
            << "\n";
     }
-    if (this->NeedsDeploy(type)) {
+    if (this->NeedsDeploy(target.GetType())) {
       fout << "\t\t{" << guid << "}." << *i << "|" << this->GetPlatformName()
-           << ".Deploy.0 = " << *i << "|"
+           << ".Deploy.0 = " << dstConfig << "|"
            << (!platformMapping.empty() ? platformMapping
                                         : this->GetPlatformName())
            << "\n";
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h
index 53feb47401..03fa077fa0 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ protected:
   virtual void WriteSolutionConfigurations(
     std::ostream& fout, std::vector<std::string> const& configs);
   virtual void WriteProjectConfigurations(
-    std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name, cmStateEnums::TargetType type,
-    std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
+    std::ostream& fout, const std::string& name,
+    cmGeneratorTarget const& target, std::vector<std::string> const& configs,
     const std::set<std::string>& configsPartOfDefaultBuild,
     const std::string& platformMapping = "");
   virtual bool ComputeTargetDepends();
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomConfig-check.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomConfig-check.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1a940b8106
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomConfig-check.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+check_project(CustomConfig external "aaa-bbb-ccc-000" "" "" "Custom - Release")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomConfig.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomConfig.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1f935cd58c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomConfig.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+include_external_msproject(external external.project
+                           GUID aaa-bbb-ccc-000)
+set_target_properties(external PROPERTIES MAP_IMPORTED_CONFIG_RELEASE "Custom - Release")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuid-check.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuid-check.cmake
index 68dec4c08d..3747934db6 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuid-check.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuid-check.cmake
@@ -1 +1 @@
-check_project(CustomGuid external "aaa-bbb-ccc-000" "" "")
+check_project(CustomGuid external "aaa-bbb-ccc-000" "" "" "")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuidTypePlatform-check.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuidTypePlatform-check.cmake
index 614712ee67..0b2ac1db0d 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuidTypePlatform-check.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomGuidTypePlatform-check.cmake
@@ -1 +1 @@
-check_project(CustomGuidTypePlatform external "aaa-bbb-ccc-111" "aaa-bbb-ccc-ddd-eee" "Custom Platform")
+check_project(CustomGuidTypePlatform external "aaa-bbb-ccc-111" "aaa-bbb-ccc-ddd-eee" "Custom Platform" "")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomTypePlatform-check.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomTypePlatform-check.cmake
index 054eeb0374..c431b03d62 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomTypePlatform-check.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/CustomTypePlatform-check.cmake
@@ -1 +1 @@
-check_project(CustomTypePlatform external "" "aaa-bbb-ccc-ddd-eee" "Custom Platform")
+check_project(CustomTypePlatform external "" "aaa-bbb-ccc-ddd-eee" "Custom Platform" "")
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/RunCMakeTest.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/RunCMakeTest.cmake
index 90710f9bf3..47dac349f0 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/RunCMakeTest.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/RunCMakeTest.cmake
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ include(${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/check_utils.cmake)
 run_cmake(CustomGuid)
 run_cmake(CustomTypePlatform)
 run_cmake(CustomGuidTypePlatform)
+run_cmake(CustomConfig)
diff --git a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/check_utils.cmake b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/check_utils.cmake
index 5dd92f9ccb..e9e9cac72a 100644
--- a/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/check_utils.cmake
+++ b/Tests/RunCMake/include_external_msproject/check_utils.cmake
@@ -71,8 +71,24 @@ function(check_custom_platform TARGET_FILE PROJECT_NAME PLATFORM_NAME RESULT)
   set(${RESULT} ${IS_FOUND} PARENT_SCOPE)
 endfunction()
 
+# Search project's build configuration line by project name and target configuration name.
+# Returns TRUE if found and FALSE otherwise
+function(check_custom_configuration TARGET_FILE PROJECT_NAME SLN_CONFIG DST_CONFIG RESULT)
+  set(${RESULT} "FALSE" PARENT_SCOPE)
+  # extract project guid
+  parse_project_section(${TARGET_FILE} ${PROJECT_NAME})
+  if(NOT IS_FOUND)
+    return()
+  endif()
+
+  set(REG_EXP "^(\t)*\\{${FOUND_GUID}\\}\\.${SLN_CONFIG}[^ ]*\\.ActiveCfg = ${DST_CONFIG}\\|.*$")
+  check_line_exists(${TARGET_FILE} REG_EXP)
+
+  set(${RESULT} ${IS_FOUND} PARENT_SCOPE)
+endfunction()
+
 # RunCMake test check helper
-function(check_project test name guid type platform)
+function(check_project test name guid type platform imported_release_config_name)
   set(sln "${RunCMake_TEST_BINARY_DIR}/${test}.sln")
   set(sep "")
   set(failed "")
@@ -88,6 +104,9 @@ function(check_project test name guid type platform)
       set(platform "Win32")
     endif()
   endif()
+  if(NOT imported_release_config_name)
+    set(imported_release_config_name "Release")
+  endif()
   if(guid)
     check_project_guid("${sln}" "${name}" "${guid}" passed_guid)
     if(NOT passed_guid)
@@ -107,5 +126,11 @@ function(check_project test name guid type platform)
     string(APPEND failed "${sep}${name} solution has no project with expected PLATFORM=${platform}")
     set(sep "\n")
   endif()
+  check_custom_configuration("${sln}" "${name}" "Release" "${imported_release_config_name}" passed_configuration)
+  if(NOT passed_configuration)
+    string(APPEND failed "${sep}${name} solution has no project with expected CONFIG=${imported_release_config_name}")
+    set(sep "\n")
+  endif()
+
   set(RunCMake_TEST_FAILED "${failed}" PARENT_SCOPE)
 endfunction()