diff --git a/redo/imagelist_windows.c b/redo/imagelist_windows.c
index a6db91f..a84ae2e 100644
--- a/redo/imagelist_windows.c
+++ b/redo/imagelist_windows.c
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 #include "winapi_windows.h"
 #include "_cgo_export.h"
 
+// TODO eliminate duplicate code
+
 HBITMAP unscaledBitmap(void *i, intptr_t dx, intptr_t dy)
 {
 	BITMAPINFO bi;
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ void addImage(HIMAGELIST il, HWND hwnd, HBITMAP bitmap, int origwid, int oright,
 	if (winDC == NULL)
 		xpanic("error getting DC for window", GetLastError());
 	origDC = CreateCompatibleDC(winDC);
-	if (winDC == NULL)
+	if (origDC == NULL)
 		xpanic("error getting DC for original ImageList bitmap", GetLastError());
 	prevorig = SelectObject(origDC, bitmap);
 	if (prevorig == NULL)
@@ -81,7 +83,7 @@ void addImage(HIMAGELIST il, HWND hwnd, HBITMAP bitmap, int origwid, int oright,
 		xpanic("error selecting previous bitmap into scaled image's DC", GetLastError());
 	if (DeleteDC(scaledDC) == 0)
 		xpanic("error deleting scaled image's DC", GetLastError());
-	if (DeleteDC(winDC) == 0)
+	if (ReleaseDC(hwnd, winDC) == 0)
 		xpanic("error deleting window DC", GetLastError());
 
 noscale:
@@ -98,3 +100,217 @@ void applyImageList(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, HIMAGELIST il)
 ;//TODO		xpanic("error setting image list", GetLastError());
 	// TODO free old one here if any
 }
+
+static UINT dfcState(int cbstate)
+{
+	UINT ret;
+
+	ret = DFCS_BUTTONCHECK;
+	if ((cbstate & checkboxStateChecked) != 0)
+		ret |= DFCS_CHECKED;
+	if ((cbstate & checkboxStateHot) != 0)
+		ret |= DFCS_HOT;
+	if ((cbstate & checkboxStatePushed) != 0)
+		ret |= DFCS_PUSHED;
+	return ret;
+}
+
+static HBITMAP dfcImage(HDC dc, int width, int height, int cbState)
+{
+	BITMAPINFO bi;
+	VOID *ppvBits;
+	HBITMAP bitmap;
+	RECT r;
+	HDC drawDC;
+	HBITMAP prevbitmap;
+
+	r.left = 0;
+	r.top = 0;
+	r.right = width;
+	r.bottom = height;
+	ZeroMemory(&bi, sizeof (BITMAPINFO));
+	bi.bmiHeader.biSize = sizeof (BITMAPINFOHEADER);
+	bi.bmiHeader.biWidth = (LONG) width;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biHeight = -((LONG) height);			// negative height to force top-down drawing;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biPlanes = 1;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biBitCount = 32;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biCompression = BI_RGB;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biSizeImage = (DWORD) (width * height * 4);
+	bitmap = CreateDIBSection(NULL, &bi, DIB_RGB_COLORS, &ppvBits, 0, 0);
+	if (bitmap == NULL)
+		xpanic("error creating HBITMAP for unscaled ImageList image copy", GetLastError());
+
+	drawDC = CreateCompatibleDC(dc);
+	if (drawDC == NULL)
+		xpanic("error getting DC for checkbox image list bitmap", GetLastError());
+	prevbitmap = SelectObject(drawDC, bitmap);
+	if (prevbitmap == NULL)
+		xpanic("error selecting checkbox image list bitmap into DC", GetLastError());
+	if (DrawFrameControl(drawDC, &r, DFC_BUTTON, dfcState(cbState)) == 0)
+		xpanic("error drawing checkbox image", GetLastError());
+	if (SelectObject(drawDC, prevbitmap) != bitmap)
+		xpanic("error selecting previous bitmap into checkbox image's DC", GetLastError());
+	if (DeleteDC(drawDC) == 0)
+		xpanic("error deleting checkbox image's DC", GetLastError());
+
+	return bitmap;
+}
+
+HIMAGELIST checkboxImageList = NULL;
+
+void makeCheckboxImageList_DFC(HWND hwnddc)
+{
+	int width, height;
+	int cbState;
+	HDC dc;
+	HIMAGELIST il;
+
+	// there's no real metric around
+	// let's use SM_CX/YSMICON and hope for the best
+	width = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CXSMICON);
+	height = GetSystemMetrics(SM_CYSMICON);
+	dc = GetDC(hwnddc);
+	if (dc == NULL)
+		xpanic("error getting DC for making the checkbox image list", GetLastError());
+	checkboxImageList = (*fv_ImageList_Create)(width, height, ILC_COLOR32, 20, 20);		// should be reasonable
+	if (checkboxImageList == NULL)
+		xpanic("error creating checkbox image list", GetLastError());
+	for (cbState = 0; cbState < checkboxnStates; cbState++) {
+		HBITMAP bitmap;
+
+		bitmap = dfcImage(dc, width, height, cbState);
+		if ((*fv_ImageList_Add)(checkboxImageList, bitmap, NULL) == -1)
+			xpanic("error adding checkbox image to image list", GetLastError());
+		if (DeleteObject(bitmap) == 0)
+			xpanic("error deleting checkbox bitmap", GetLastError());
+	}
+	if (ReleaseDC(hwnddc, dc) == 0)
+		xpanic("error deleting checkbox image list DC", GetLastError());
+}
+
+static HTHEME theme = NULL;
+
+static void openTheme(HWND hwnd)
+{
+	if (theme != NULL)
+		// TODO save HRESULT
+		if (CloseThemeData(theme) != S_OK)
+			xpanic("error closing theme", GetLastError());
+	// ignore error; if it can't be done, we can fall back to DrawFrameControl()
+	theme = OpenThemeData(hwnd, L"button");
+}
+
+static int themestates[checkboxnStates] = {
+	CBS_UNCHECKEDNORMAL,			// 0
+	CBS_CHECKEDNORMAL,				// checked
+	CBS_UNCHECKEDHOT,				// hot
+	CBS_CHECKEDHOT,					// checked | hot
+	CBS_UNCHECKEDPRESSED,			// pushed
+	CBS_CHECKEDPRESSED,				// checked | pushed
+	CBS_UNCHECKEDPRESSED,			// hot | pushed
+	CBS_CHECKEDPRESSED,				// checked | hot | pushed
+};
+
+static SIZE getStateSize(HDC dc, int cbState)
+{
+	SIZE s;
+
+	// TODO use HRESULT
+	if (GetThemePartSize(theme, dc, BP_CHECKBOX, themestates[cbState], NULL, TS_DRAW, &s) != S_OK)
+		xpanic("error getting theme part size", GetLastError());
+	return s;
+}
+
+static HBITMAP drawThemeImage(HDC dc, int width, int height, int cbState)
+{
+	BITMAPINFO bi;
+	VOID *ppvBits;
+	HBITMAP bitmap;
+	RECT r;
+	HDC drawDC;
+	HBITMAP prevbitmap;
+
+	r.left = 0;
+	r.top = 0;
+	r.right = width;
+	r.bottom = height;
+	ZeroMemory(&bi, sizeof (BITMAPINFO));
+	bi.bmiHeader.biSize = sizeof (BITMAPINFOHEADER);
+	bi.bmiHeader.biWidth = (LONG) width;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biHeight = -((LONG) height);			// negative height to force top-down drawing;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biPlanes = 1;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biBitCount = 32;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biCompression = BI_RGB;
+	bi.bmiHeader.biSizeImage = (DWORD) (width * height * 4);
+	bitmap = CreateDIBSection(NULL, &bi, DIB_RGB_COLORS, &ppvBits, 0, 0);
+	if (bitmap == NULL)
+		xpanic("error creating HBITMAP for unscaled ImageList image copy", GetLastError());
+
+	drawDC = CreateCompatibleDC(dc);
+	if (drawDC == NULL)
+		xpanic("error getting DC for checkbox image list bitmap", GetLastError());
+	prevbitmap = SelectObject(drawDC, bitmap);
+	if (prevbitmap == NULL)
+		xpanic("error selecting checkbox image list bitmap into DC", GetLastError());
+	// TODO get HRESULT
+	if (DrawThemeBackground(theme, drawDC, BP_CHECKBOX, themestates[cbState], &r, NULL) != S_OK)
+		xpanic("error drawing checkbox image", GetLastError());
+	if (SelectObject(drawDC, prevbitmap) != bitmap)
+		xpanic("error selecting previous bitmap into checkbox image's DC", GetLastError());
+	if (DeleteDC(drawDC) == 0)
+		xpanic("error deleting checkbox image's DC", GetLastError());
+
+	return bitmap;
+}
+
+
+void makeCheckboxImageList_theme(HWND hwnddc)
+{
+	int width, height;
+	int cbState;
+	SIZE size;
+	HDC dc;
+
+	// first, make sure that all things have the same size
+	dc = GetDC(hwnddc);
+	if (dc == NULL)
+		xpanic("error getting DC for making the checkbox image list", GetLastError());
+	size = getStateSize(dc, 0);
+	for (cbState = 1; cbState < checkboxnStates; cbState++) {
+		SIZE against;
+
+		against = getStateSize(dc, cbState);
+		if (size.cx != against.cx || size.cy != against.cy)
+			xpanic("size mismatch in checkbox states", GetLastError());
+	}
+	width = (int) size.cx;
+	height = (int) size.cy;
+
+	// NOW draw
+	checkboxImageList = (*fv_ImageList_Create)(width, height, ILC_COLOR32, 20, 20);		// should be reasonable
+	if (checkboxImageList == NULL)
+		xpanic("error creating checkbox image list", GetLastError());
+	for (cbState = 0; cbState < checkboxnStates; cbState++) {
+		HBITMAP bitmap;
+
+		bitmap = drawThemeImage(dc, width, height, cbState);
+		if ((*fv_ImageList_Add)(checkboxImageList, bitmap, NULL) == -1)
+			xpanic("error adding checkbox image to image list", GetLastError());
+		if (DeleteObject(bitmap) == 0)
+			xpanic("error deleting checkbox bitmap", GetLastError());
+	}
+	if (ReleaseDC(hwnddc, dc) == 0)
+		xpanic("error deleting checkbox image list DC", GetLastError());
+}
+
+void makeCheckboxImageList(HWND hwnddc)
+{
+	if (theme == NULL)		// try to open the theme
+		openTheme(hwnddc);
+	if (theme != NULL) {		// use the theme
+		makeCheckboxImageList_theme(hwnddc);
+		return;
+	}
+	// couldn't open; fall back
+	makeCheckboxImageList_DFC(hwnddc);
+}
diff --git a/redo/imagelist_windows.go b/redo/imagelist_windows.go
index 37924bd..479e9a5 100644
--- a/redo/imagelist_windows.go
+++ b/redo/imagelist_windows.go
@@ -41,5 +41,6 @@ func (i *imagelist) apply(hwnd C.HWND, uMsg C.UINT, wParam C.WPARAM) {
 	for index := range i.list {
 		C.addImage(il, hwnd, i.list[index], C.int(i.width[index]), C.int(i.height[index]), width, height)
 	}
-	C.applyImageList(hwnd, uMsg, wParam, il)
+//	C.applyImageList(hwnd, uMsg, wParam, il)
+	C.applyImageList(hwnd, uMsg, wParam, C.checkboxImageList)
 }
diff --git a/redo/uitask_windows.c b/redo/uitask_windows.c
index f80b878..7a20bbe 100644
--- a/redo/uitask_windows.c
+++ b/redo/uitask_windows.c
@@ -78,6 +78,10 @@ static LRESULT CALLBACK msgwinproc(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM l
 	if (sharedWndProc(hwnd, uMsg, wParam, lParam, &shared))
 		return shared;
 	switch (uMsg) {
+	case WM_CREATE:
+		// initial
+		makeCheckboxImageList(hwnd);
+		return 0;
 	case msgRequest:
 		doissue((void *) lParam);
 		return 0;
diff --git a/redo/winapi_windows.h b/redo/winapi_windows.h
index 589fbec..c937f64 100644
--- a/redo/winapi_windows.h
+++ b/redo/winapi_windows.h
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <wchar.h>
 #include <windowsx.h>
+#include <vsstyle.h>
+#include <vssym32.h>
 
 // global messages unique to everything
 enum {
@@ -119,5 +121,13 @@ extern HBITMAP unscaledBitmap(void *, intptr_t, intptr_t);
 extern HIMAGELIST newImageList(int, int);
 extern void addImage(HIMAGELIST, HWND, HBITMAP, int, int, int, int);
 extern void applyImageList(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, HIMAGELIST);
+enum {
+	checkboxStateChecked = 1 << 0,
+	checkboxStateHot = 1 << 1,
+	checkboxStatePushed = 1 << 2,
+	checkboxnStates = 1 << 3,
+};
+extern HIMAGELIST checkboxImageList;
+extern void makeCheckboxImageList(HWND);
 
 #endif