diff --git a/table_windows.c b/table_windows.c
index 843e5d2..10bbb2c 100644
--- a/table_windows.c
+++ b/table_windows.c
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@
 // provided for cgo's benefit
 LPWSTR xtableWindowClass = tableWindowClass;
 
+void doInitTable(void)
+{
+	initTable(xpanic, fv__TrackMouseEvent);
+}
+
 static LRESULT CALLBACK tableSubProc(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, UINT_PTR id, DWORD_PTR data)
 {
 	NMHDR *nmhdr = (NMHDR *) lParam;
diff --git a/uitask_windows.go b/uitask_windows.go
index 045933a..2d1fb54 100644
--- a/uitask_windows.go
+++ b/uitask_windows.go
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ func uiinit() error {
 	if err := makeAreaWindowClass(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error creating Area window class: %v", err)
 	}
+	// this depends on the common controls having been initialized already
+	C.doInitTable()
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/winapi_windows.h b/winapi_windows.h
index 0f34d17..1d10afd 100644
--- a/winapi_windows.h
+++ b/winapi_windows.h
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ extern void tabLeaveChildren(HWND);
 // table_windows.go
 #include "wintable/includethis.h"
 extern LPWSTR xtableWindowClass;
+extern void doInitTable(void);
 extern void setTableSubclass(HWND, void *);
 /* TODO
 extern void tableAutosizeColumns(HWND, int);