diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 303f812..9ec8fa4 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -19,3 +19,5 @@ artifacts/
 src/signalrclientdll/version.h
 /.vs/
 build.*
+signalrclient.VC.VC.opendb
+signalrclient.VC.db
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/signalrclient/connection.h b/include/signalrclient/connection.h
index 82934e7..56f5325 100644
--- a/include/signalrclient/connection.h
+++ b/include/signalrclient/connection.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ namespace signalr
     public:
         typedef std::function<void __cdecl(const utility::string_t&)> message_received_handler;
 
-        SIGNALRCLIENT_API explicit connection(const utility::string_t& url, const utility::string_t& query_string = U(""),
+        SIGNALRCLIENT_API explicit connection(const utility::string_t& url, const utility::string_t& query_string = _XPLATSTR(""),
             trace_level trace_level = trace_level::all, std::shared_ptr<log_writer> log_writer = nullptr);
 
         SIGNALRCLIENT_API ~connection();