diff --git a/windows/menu.c b/windows/menu.c
index 8002c485..3c92bb4a 100644
--- a/windows/menu.c
+++ b/windows/menu.c
@@ -7,38 +7,39 @@ static void appendSeparator(HMENU menu)
 		logLastError("error appending separator in appendSeparator()");
 }
 
-static void appendTextItem(HMENU menu, const char *text)
+static void appendTextItem(HMENU menu, const char *text, UINT_PTR *id)
 {
 	WCHAR *wtext;
 
 	wtext = toUTF16(text);
-	if (AppendMenuW(menu, MF_STRING, 0, wtext) == 0)
+	if (AppendMenuW(menu, MF_STRING, *id, wtext) == 0)
 		logLastError("error appending menu item in appendTextItem()");
 	uiFree(wtext);
+	(*id)++;
 }
 
-static void appendMenuItem(HMENU menu, const uiMenuItem *item)
+static void appendMenuItem(HMENU menu, const uiMenuItem *item, UINT_PTR *id)
 {
 	switch (item->Type) {
 	case uiMenuItemTypeCommand:
 	case uiMenuItemTypeCheckbox:
-		appendTextItem(menu, item->Name);
+		appendTextItem(menu, item->Name, id);
 		return;
 	// TODO see if there are stock items for these three
 	case uiMenuItemTypeQuit:
 		// TODO verify name
 		appendSeparator(menu);
-		appendTextItem(menu, "Quit");
+		appendTextItem(menu, "Quit", id);
 		return;
 	case uiMenuItemTypePreferences:
 		// TODO verify name
 		appendSeparator(menu);
-		appendTextItem(menu, "Preferences");
+		appendTextItem(menu, "Preferences", id);
 		return;
 	case uiMenuItemTypeAbout:
 		// TODO verify name
 		appendSeparator(menu);
-		appendTextItem(menu, "About");
+		appendTextItem(menu, "About", id);
 		return;
 	case uiMenuItemTypeSeparator:
 		// TODO verify name
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ static void appendMenuItem(HMENU menu, const uiMenuItem *item)
 }
 
 
-static HMENU makeMenu(uiMenuItem *items)
+static HMENU makeMenu(uiMenuItem *items, UINT_PTR *id)
 {
 	HMENU menu;
 	const uiMenuItem *i;
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ static HMENU makeMenu(uiMenuItem *items)
 	if (menu == NULL)
 		logLastError("error creating menu in makeMenu()");
 	for (i = items; i->Type != 0; i++)
-		appendMenuItem(menu, i);
+		appendMenuItem(menu, i, id);
 	return menu;
 }
 
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ HMENU makeMenubar(void)
 	const uiMenu *m;
 	WCHAR *wname;
 	HMENU menu;
+	UINT_PTR id;
 
 	if (options.Menu == NULL)
 		complain("asked to give uiWindow a menubar but didn't specify a menu in uiInitOptions");
@@ -76,9 +78,10 @@ HMENU makeMenubar(void)
 	if (menubar == NULL)
 		logLastError("error creating menubar in makeMenubar()");
 
+	id = 100;		// start at a safe number
 	for (m = options.Menu; m->Name != NULL; m++) {
 		wname = toUTF16(m->Name);
-		menu = makeMenu(m->Items);
+		menu = makeMenu(m->Items, &id);
 		if (AppendMenuW(menubar, MF_POPUP | MF_STRING, (UINT_PTR) menu, wname) == 0)
 			logLastError("error appending menu to menubar in makeMenubar()");
 		uiFree(wname);
@@ -86,3 +89,36 @@ HMENU makeMenubar(void)
 
 	return menubar;
 }
+
+// this is slow, but it will do for now
+// TODO investigate faster options
+
+static const uiMenuItem *lookupID(const uiMenu *items, UINT_PTR *cur, UINT_PTR id)
+{
+	const uiMenuItem *i;
+
+	for (i = items; i->Type != 0; i++) {
+		if (i->Type == uiMenuItemTypeSeparator)
+			continue;
+		if (*cur == id)
+			return i;
+		(*cur)++;
+	}
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+const uiMenuItem *menuIDToItem(UINT_PTR id)
+{
+	UINT_PTR cur;
+	const uiMenu *m;
+	const uiMenuItem *item;
+
+	cur = 100;
+	for (m = options.Menu; m->Name != NULL; m++) {
+		item = lookupID(m, &cur, id);
+		if (item != NULL)
+			return item;
+	}
+	// TODO complain
+	return NULL;
+}
diff --git a/windows/uipriv_windows.h b/windows/uipriv_windows.h
index 309f5cfc..f3145e92 100644
--- a/windows/uipriv_windows.h
+++ b/windows/uipriv_windows.h
@@ -74,3 +74,4 @@ extern const char *initParent(HICON, HCURSOR);
 
 // menu.c
 extern HMENU makeMenubar(void);
+extern const uiMenuItem *menuIDToItem(UINT_PTR);