diff --git a/dummy_windows.cpp b/dummy_windows.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a338f7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dummy_windows.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+// 5 june 2016
+// This file is only present to force cgo to use the C++ linker instead of the C linker on Windows.
diff --git a/libui_windows_386.res b/libui_windows_386.res.o
similarity index 100%
rename from libui_windows_386.res
rename to libui_windows_386.res.o
diff --git a/link_windows_386.go b/link_windows_386.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ea6183
--- /dev/null
+++ b/link_windows_386.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// 13 december 2015
+
+package ui
+
+// #cgo LDFLAGS: ${SRCDIR}/static_windows_386.o ${SRCDIR}/libui_windows_386.a ${SRCDIR}/libui_windows_386.res.o
+// /* note the order; also note the lack of uuid */
+// #cgo LDFLAGS: -luser32 -lkernel32 -lusp10 -lgdi32 -lcomctl32 -luxtheme -lmsimg32 -lcomdlg32 -ld2d1 -ldwrite -lole32 -loleaut32 -loleacc -static -static-libgcc -static-libstdc++
+import "C"
+
+func ensureMainThread() {
+	// do nothing; Windows doesn't care which thread we're on so long as we don't change it after starting
+}
diff --git a/link_windows_amd64.go b/link_windows_amd64.go
index 7a9c08d..1992ae7 100644
--- a/link_windows_amd64.go
+++ b/link_windows_amd64.go
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 package ui
 
-// #cgo LDFLAGS: ${SRCDIR}/libui_windows_amd64.lib ${SRCDIR}/libui_windows_amd64.res.o
+// #cgo LDFLAGS: ${SRCDIR}/static_windows_amd64.o ${SRCDIR}/libui_windows_amd64.a ${SRCDIR}/libui_windows_amd64.res.o
 // /* note the order; also note the lack of uuid */
-// #cgo LDFLAGS: -luser32 -lkernel32 -lusp10 -lgdi32 -lcomctl32 -luxtheme -lmsimg32 -lcomdlg32 -ld2d1 -ldwrite -lole32 -loleaut32 -loleacc -lmsvcrt
+// #cgo LDFLAGS: -luser32 -lkernel32 -lusp10 -lgdi32 -lcomctl32 -luxtheme -lmsimg32 -lcomdlg32 -ld2d1 -ldwrite -lole32 -loleaut32 -loleacc -static -static-libgcc -static-libstdc++
 import "C"
 
 func ensureMainThread() {
diff --git a/static.manifest b/static.manifest
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d8e83a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static.manifest
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
+<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
+<assemblyIdentity
+    version="1.0.0.0"
+    processorArchitecture="*"
+    name="CompanyName.ProductName.YourApplication"
+    type="win32"
+/>
+<description>Your application description here.</description>
+<!-- we DO need comctl6 in the static case -->
+<dependency>
+    <dependentAssembly>
+        <assemblyIdentity
+            type="win32"
+            name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls"
+            version="6.0.0.0"
+            processorArchitecture="*"
+            publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df"
+            language="*"
+        />
+    </dependentAssembly>
+</dependency>
+<compatibility xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:compatibility.v1">
+    <application>
+        <!--The ID below indicates application support for Windows Vista -->
+        <supportedOS Id="{e2011457-1546-43c5-a5fe-008deee3d3f0}"/>
+        <!--The ID below indicates application support for Windows 7 -->
+        <supportedOS Id="{35138b9a-5d96-4fbd-8e2d-a2440225f93a}"/>
+    </application>
+</compatibility>
+</assembly>
+
diff --git a/static.rc b/static.rc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ca23375
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static.rc
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+/* 5 june 2016 */
+#pragma code_page(65001)
+1 24 "static.manifest"
diff --git a/static_windows_386.o b/static_windows_386.o
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46c6ccc
Binary files /dev/null and b/static_windows_386.o differ
diff --git a/static_windows_amd64.o b/static_windows_amd64.o
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb56b3b
Binary files /dev/null and b/static_windows_amd64.o differ