diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10IA64Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10IA64Generator.h
index ae12cc32de..3c3325ea2c 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10IA64Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10IA64Generator.h
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio10IA64Generator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 10 IA64";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "Itanium";}
-
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Win64Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Win64Generator.h
index 66d77a97aa..30b2164cc6 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Win64Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio10Win64Generator.h
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio10Win64Generator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 10 Win64";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "x64";}
-
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
 
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11ARMGenerator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11ARMGenerator.h
index 7596d33802..8ca013f163 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11ARMGenerator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11ARMGenerator.h
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio11ARMGenerator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 11 ARM";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "ARM";}
-
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
 };
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Win64Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Win64Generator.h
index bb33877e8f..515b2a765f 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Win64Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio11Win64Generator.h
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio11Win64Generator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 11 Win64";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "x64";}
-
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
 };
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx
index 2697129efa..17f1c37858 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.cxx
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@ cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator()
   this->ProjectConfigurationSectionName = "ProjectConfigurationPlatforms";
 }
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+const char* cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::GetPlatformName() const
+{
+  if (!strcmp(this->ArchitectureId, "X86"))
+    {
+    return "Win32";
+    }
+  return this->ArchitectureId;
+}
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ///! Create a local generator appropriate to this Global Generator
 cmLocalGenerator *cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::CreateLocalGenerator()
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h
index ec0d07c075..097b796cf8 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio8Generator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 8 2005";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "Win32";}
+  const char* GetPlatformName() const;
 
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Win64Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Win64Generator.h
index 4283c2869c..2ff2dd08cd 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Win64Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio8Win64Generator.h
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio8Win64Generator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 8 2005 Win64";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "x64";}
-
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
 };
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9IA64Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9IA64Generator.h
index 0e5861ac40..7af61e7964 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9IA64Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9IA64Generator.h
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio9IA64Generator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 9 2008 IA64";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "Itanium";}
-
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
 };
diff --git a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9Win64Generator.h b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9Win64Generator.h
index 713c402ab9..c6b74a0e73 100644
--- a/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9Win64Generator.h
+++ b/Source/cmGlobalVisualStudio9Win64Generator.h
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ public:
     return cmGlobalVisualStudio9Win64Generator::GetActualName();}
   static const char* GetActualName() {return "Visual Studio 9 2008 Win64";}
 
-  virtual const char* GetPlatformName() const {return "x64";}
-
   /** Get the documentation entry for this generator.  */
   static void GetDocumentation(cmDocumentationEntry& entry);
 };