diff --git a/redo/common_windows.c b/redo/common_windows.c
index 50be912..6b6f08f 100644
--- a/redo/common_windows.c
+++ b/redo/common_windows.c
@@ -89,10 +89,13 @@ BOOL sharedWndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, LRESULT *
 		*lResult = forwardNotify(hwnd, uMsg, wParam, lParam);
 		return TRUE;
 	case WM_CTLCOLORSTATIC:
+	case WM_CTLCOLORBTN:
 		exstyle = (DWORD) GetWindowLongPtrW((HWND) lParam, GWL_EXSTYLE);
-		if ((exstyle & WS_EX_TRANSPARENT) != 0) {
+		// TODO clean this up
+{//		if ((exstyle & WS_EX_TRANSPARENT) != 0) {
 			if (SetBkMode((HDC) wParam, TRANSPARENT) == 0)
 				xpanic("error setting transparent background mode to Labels", GetLastError());
+			paintControlBackground((HWND) lParam, (HDC) wParam);
 			*lResult = (LRESULT) hollowBrush;
 			return TRUE;
 		}
@@ -100,3 +103,35 @@ BOOL sharedWndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT uMsg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam, LRESULT *
 	}
 	return FALSE;
 }
+
+void paintControlBackground(HWND hwnd, HDC dc)
+{
+	HWND parent;
+	RECT r;
+	POINT p;
+	int saved;
+
+	// TODO traverse deeper if a groupbox
+	// TODO implement WM_PRINTCLIENT in window_windows.c
+	parent = GetParent(hwnd);
+	if (parent == NULL)
+		xpanic("error getting parent container of control in paintControlBackground()", GetLastError());
+	parent = GetParent(parent);
+	if (parent == NULL)
+		xpanic("error getting parent control of control in paintControlBackground()", GetLastError());
+	if (GetWindowRect(hwnd, &r) == 0)
+		xpanic("error getting control's window rect in paintControlBackground()", GetLastError());
+	// the above is a window rect; convert to client rect
+	p.x = r.left;
+	p.y = r.top;
+	if (ScreenToClient(parent, &p) == 0)
+		xpanic("error getting client origin of control in paintControlBackground()", GetLastError());
+	saved = SaveDC(dc);
+	if (saved == 0)
+		xpanic("error saving DC info in paintControlBackground()", GetLastError());
+	if (SetWindowOrgEx(dc, p.x, p.y, NULL) == 0)
+		xpanic("error moving window origin in paintControlBackground()", GetLastError());
+	SendMessageW(parent, WM_PRINTCLIENT, (WPARAM) dc, PRF_CLIENT);
+	if (RestoreDC(dc, saved) == 0)
+		xpanic("error restoring DC info in paintControlBackground()", GetLastError());
+}
diff --git a/redo/winapi_windows.h b/redo/winapi_windows.h
index 743c819..83f7822 100644
--- a/redo/winapi_windows.h
+++ b/redo/winapi_windows.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ extern void setWindowText(HWND, LPWSTR);
 extern void updateWindow(HWND);
 extern void *getWindowData(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM, LRESULT *, void (*)(void *, HWND));
 extern BOOL sharedWndProc(HWND, UINT, WPARAM, LPARAM, LRESULT *);
+extern void paintControlBackground(HWND, HDC);
 
 // tab_windows.go
 extern LPWSTR xWC_TABCONTROL;
diff --git a/redo/zz_test.go b/redo/zz_test.go
index 0afd7d7..dbf68bc 100644
--- a/redo/zz_test.go
+++ b/redo/zz_test.go
@@ -116,13 +116,20 @@ func (tw *testwin) addfe() {
 		OpenFile(tw.w, tw.openFile)
 	})
 	tw.fnlabel = NewStandaloneLabel("<no file selected>")
-	tw.festack = NewVerticalStack(tw.festart, tw.felabel, tw.festop,
+	tw.festack = NewVerticalStack(tw.festart,
+		tw.felabel,
+		tw.festop,
+		NewCheckbox("This is a checkbox test"),
 		Space(),
 		tw.vedit,
 		Space(),
+		NewCheckbox("This is a checkbox test"),
 		tw.openbtn, tw.fnlabel)
-	tw.festack.SetStretchy(3)
-	tw.festack.SetStretchy(5)
+	tw.festack.SetStretchy(4)
+	tw.festack.SetStretchy(6)
+	tw.festack = NewHorizontalStack(tw.festack, Space())
+	tw.festack.SetStretchy(0)
+	tw.festack.SetStretchy(1)
 	tw.t.Append("Foreign Events", tw.festack)
 }