diff --git a/build/GNUmakefile.example b/build/GNUmakefile.example
index 34268a97..fab16e2b 100644
--- a/build/GNUmakefile.example
+++ b/build/GNUmakefile.example
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ CFILES += \
 HFILES += \
 	ui.h
 
+ifeq ($(OS),windows)
+RCFILES += \
+	examples/resources.rc
+endif
+
 NAME = $(EXAMPLE)
 SUFFIX = $(EXESUFFIX)
 
diff --git a/examples/example.manifest b/examples/example.manifest
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..41e7c9c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/example.manifest
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+<?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>
+<!-- do NOT include the comctl6 dependency here; this lets us find bugs related to theming -->
+<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/examples/resources.rc b/examples/resources.rc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b55e24ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/resources.rc
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// 30 may 2015
+
+// this is a UTF-8 file
+#pragma code_page(65001)
+
+// this is the Common Controls 6 manifest
+// TODO set up the string values here
+// 1 is the value of CREATEPROCESS_MANIFEST_RESOURCE_ID and 24 is the value of RT_MANIFEST; we use it directly to avoid needing to share winapi.h with the tests and examples
+1 24 "example.manifest"