diff --git a/include/bal.hh b/include/bal.hh
index 63989d0..5d31c3b 100644
--- a/include/bal.hh
+++ b/include/bal.hh
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@
 #ifndef _BAL_HH_INCLUDED
 # define _BAL_HH_INCLUDED
 
+# if defined(__has_include)
+#  define __HAS_INCLUDE(hdr) __has_include(hdr)
+# else
+#  define __HAS_INCLUDE(hdr) false
+# endif
+
 # include "bal.h"
 # include <type_traits>
 # include <functional>
@@ -35,7 +41,12 @@
 # include <vector>
 # include <atomic>
 # include <string>
-# include <bit>
+# if __HAS_INCLUDE(<bit>)
+#  include <bit>
+#  define bit_cast std::bit_cast
+# else
+#  define bit_cast reinterpret_cast
+# endif
 
 /** The one and only namespace for libbal. */
 namespace bal
@@ -653,12 +664,12 @@ namespace bal
 
         static socket_base* from_user_data(bal_socket* s)
         {
-            return std::bit_cast<socket_base*>(s->user_data);
+            return bit_cast<socket_base*>(s->user_data);
         }
 
         uintptr_t to_user_data() const
         {
-            return std::bit_cast<uintptr_t>(this);
+            return bit_cast<uintptr_t>(this);
         }
 
         async_io_cb on_read;
@@ -706,7 +717,7 @@ namespace bal
                 if (self == nullptr) {
                     _bal_dbglog("no user_data for socket " BAL_SOCKET_SPEC " (0x%"
                         PRIxPTR ", mask = %08" PRIx32 ")", s->sd,
-                        std::bit_cast<uintptr_t>(s), s->state.mask);
+                        bit_cast<uintptr_t>(s), s->state.mask);
                     return;
                 }
 
@@ -715,8 +726,7 @@ namespace bal
 # if defined(BAL_DBGLOG)
                     _bal_dbglog("early return for socket " BAL_SOCKET_SPEC " (0x%"
                         PRIxPTR ", evt = %08" PRIx32 ", self = 0x%" PRIxPTR ")",
-                        s->sd, std::bit_cast<uintptr_t>(s), evt,
-                        std::bit_cast<uintptr_t>(self));
+                        s->sd, bit_cast<uintptr_t>(s), evt, bit_cast<uintptr_t>(self));
 # else
                     BAL_UNUSED(s);
                     BAL_UNUSED(self);
diff --git a/include/bal/errors.h b/include/bal/errors.h
index 868b8de..ba9e557 100644
--- a/include/bal/errors.h
+++ b/include/bal/errors.h
@@ -29,9 +29,6 @@
 # include "types.h"
 
 # if defined(__cplusplus)
-#  if _has_include(<source_location>)
-#   include <source_location>
-#  endif
 extern "C" {
 # endif
 
@@ -164,7 +161,8 @@ bool __bal_validate(bool expr, int err, const char* func, const char* file,
 # if defined(BAL_DBGLOG)
 void __bal_dbglog(const char* func, const char* file, uint32_t line,
     const char* format, ...);
-#  if defined(__cplusplus) && _has_include(<source_location>)
+#  if defined(__cplusplus) && __HAS_INCLUDE(<source_location>)
+#   include <source_location>
 #   define _bal_dbglog(...) \
         do { \
             std::source_location loc = std::source_location::current(); \
diff --git a/sample/balserver.cc b/sample/balserver.cc
index 4afb60e..82acdc2 100644
--- a/sample/balserver.cc
+++ b/sample/balserver.cc
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
             PRINT("got connection from %s %s:%s on " BAL_SOCKET_SPEC " (0x%" PRIxPTR ");"
                 " now have %zu client(s)", addrinfo.get_type().c_str(),
                 addrinfo.get_addr().c_str(), addrinfo.get_port().c_str(),
-                client_sock.get_descriptor(), std::bit_cast<uintptr_t>(client_sock.get()),
+                client_sock.get_descriptor(), bit_cast<uintptr_t>(client_sock.get()),
                 _clients.size() + 1);
 
             _clients[client_sock.get_descriptor()] = std::move(client_sock);