diff --git a/src/odr/internal/iwork/iwork_document.cpp b/src/odr/internal/iwork/iwork_document.cpp
index bad41a953..502226801 100644
--- a/src/odr/internal/iwork/iwork_document.cpp
+++ b/src/odr/internal/iwork/iwork_document.cpp
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ class ElementAdapter final : public abstract::ElementAdapter,
         .print_orientation = {},
         .margin = {},
         .background_color = {},
+        .direction = {},
     };
   }
   [[nodiscard]] ElementIdentifier slide_master_page(
diff --git a/src/odr/internal/oldms/presentation/ppt_document.cpp b/src/odr/internal/oldms/presentation/ppt_document.cpp
index 9fa28936c..42d8667f4 100644
--- a/src/odr/internal/oldms/presentation/ppt_document.cpp
+++ b/src/odr/internal/oldms/presentation/ppt_document.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ class ElementAdapter final : public abstract::ElementAdapter,
           .print_orientation = {},
           .margin = {},
           .background_color = {},
+          .direction = {},
       };
     }
     return {
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ class ElementAdapter final : public abstract::ElementAdapter,
         .print_orientation = {},
         .margin = {},
         .background_color = {},
+        .direction = {},
     };
   }
   [[nodiscard]] ElementIdentifier slide_master_page(
diff --git a/test/src/internal/odf/odf_flat_file_test.cpp b/test/src/internal/odf/odf_flat_file_test.cpp
index 03b71d9d8..d5ae50376 100644
--- a/test/src/internal/odf/odf_flat_file_test.cpp
+++ b/test/src/internal/odf/odf_flat_file_test.cpp
@@ -587,10 +587,13 @@ TEST(FlatOpenDocumentFile, a_right_to_left_writing_mode_reads_as_a_direction) {
 /// Neither is a left-to-right claim.
 TEST(FlatOpenDocumentFile, a_writing_mode_without_a_side_names_no_direction) {
   for (const char *mode : {"tb-rl", "tb-lr", "tb", "page"}) {
+    // built outside the macro: msvc's traditional preprocessor does not read
+    // a raw string in a macro argument, and trips over the quotes inside it
+    const std::string properties =
+        R"(style:writing-mode=")" + std::string(mode) + R"(")";
     EXPECT_EQ(std::vector<std::optional<TextDirection>>(
                   {std::nullopt, std::nullopt, std::nullopt}),
-              directions_of(three_paragraphs(
-                  "P1", R"(style:writing-mode=")" + std::string(mode) + "\"")))
+              directions_of(three_paragraphs("P1", properties)))
         << mode;
   }
 }