diff --git a/dlib/CMakeLists.txt b/dlib/CMakeLists.txt
index 4e7f20478..52e68e6d6 100644
--- a/dlib/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dlib/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -3,11 +3,8 @@
 # information about it at http://www.cmake.org
 #
 
-# setting this makes CMake allow normal looking if else statements
-SET(CMAKE_ALLOW_LOOSE_LOOP_CONSTRUCTS true)
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.4)
-set(CMAKE_LEGACY_CYGWIN_WIN32 0) # Remove when CMake >= 2.8.4 is required
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.4)
 
 # default to a Release build (except if CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE is set)
 include(release_build_by_default)
diff --git a/dlib/cmake b/dlib/cmake
index 7b6caa3f2..4905154e3 100644
--- a/dlib/cmake
+++ b/dlib/cmake
@@ -3,10 +3,9 @@
 # including it
 set(DLIB_IN_PROJECT_BUILD true)
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.6.4)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.4)
 
 
-set(CMAKE_LEGACY_CYGWIN_WIN32 0) # Remove when CMake >= 2.8.4 is required
 if (POLICY CMP0054)
     cmake_policy(SET CMP0054 NEW)
 endif()
diff --git a/dlib/tell_visual_studio_to_use_static_runtime.cmake b/dlib/tell_visual_studio_to_use_static_runtime.cmake
index 43232cf4b..2b10d69c1 100644
--- a/dlib/tell_visual_studio_to_use_static_runtime.cmake
+++ b/dlib/tell_visual_studio_to_use_static_runtime.cmake
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Including this cmake script into your cmake project will cause visual studio
 # to build your project against the static C runtime.
 
-cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.6.4)
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.4)
 if (POLICY CMP0054)
     cmake_policy(SET CMP0054 NEW)
 endif()