diff --git a/windows/table.cpp b/windows/table.cpp
index 32c60244..d33cb22f 100644
--- a/windows/table.cpp
+++ b/windows/table.cpp
@@ -137,11 +137,71 @@ static COLORREF blend(COLORREF base, double r, double g, double b, double a)
 		(BYTE) (bb * 255));
 }
 
+static HRESULT fillSubitemDrawParams(HWND hwnd, NMLVCUSTOMDRAW *nm, uiprivSubitemDrawParams *dp)
+{
+	RECT r;
+	HRESULT hr;
+
+	// note that we can't just copy nm->nmcd.rc into p->bounds because that is only defined during prepaint stages
+
+	if (nm->iSubItem == 0) {return S_OK;
+		ZeroMemory(&r, sizeof (RECT));
+		r.left = LVIR_BOUNDS;
+		if (SendMessageW(hwnd, LVM_GETITEMRECT, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec, (LPARAM) (&r)) == FALSE) {
+			logLastError(L"LVM_GETITEMRECT LVIR_BOUNDS");
+			return E_FAIL;
+		}
+		dp->bounds = r;
+		ZeroMemory(&r, sizeof (RECT));
+		r.left = LVIR_ICON;
+		if (SendMessageW(hwnd, LVM_GETITEMRECT, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec, (LPARAM) (&r)) == FALSE) {
+			logLastError(L"LVM_GETITEMRECT LVIR_ICON");
+			return E_FAIL;
+		}
+		dp->icon = r;
+		ZeroMemory(&r, sizeof (RECT));
+		r.left = LVIR_LABEL;
+		if (SendMessageW(hwnd, LVM_GETITEMRECT, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec, (LPARAM) (&r)) == FALSE) {
+			logLastError(L"LVM_GETITEMRECT LVIR_LABEL");
+			return E_FAIL;
+		}
+		dp->label = r;
+		return S_OK;
+	}
+
+	ZeroMemory(&r, sizeof (RECT));
+	r.left = LVIR_BOUNDS;
+	r.top = nm->iSubItem;
+	if (SendMessageW(hwnd, LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec, (LPARAM) (&r)) == 0) {
+		logLastError(L"LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT LVIR_BOUNDS");
+		return E_FAIL;
+	}
+	dp->bounds = r;
+	ZeroMemory(&r, sizeof (RECT));
+	r.left = LVIR_ICON;
+	r.top = nm->iSubItem;
+	if (SendMessageW(hwnd, LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec, (LPARAM) (&r)) == 0) {
+		logLastError(L"LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT LVIR_ICON");
+		return E_FAIL;
+	}
+	dp->icon = r;
+	// LVIR_LABEL is treated as LVIR_BOUNDS for LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT, but it doesn't matter because the label rect is uses isn't what we want anyway
+	// there's a hardocded 2-logical unit gap between the icon and text for subitems, AND the text starts being drawn (in the background) one bitmap margin to the right of that
+	// with normal items, there's no gap, and only the 2-logical unit gap after the background starts (TODO confirm this part)
+	// let's copy that to look nicer, even if it's not "accurate"
+	// TODO check against accessibility
+	dp->label = dp->bounds;
+	// because we want the 2 extra logical units to be included with the background, we don't include them here
+	dp->label.left = dp->icon.right;
+	return S_OK;
+}
+
 static LRESULT onNM_CUSTOMDRAW(uiTable *t, NMLVCUSTOMDRAW *nm)
 {
 	uiprivTableColumnParams *p;
 	uiTableData *data;
 	double r, g, b, a;
+	uiprivSubitemDrawParams dp;
 	LRESULT ret;
 	HRESULT hr;
 
@@ -193,7 +253,12 @@ DrawTextW(nm->nmcd.hdc, L"Part", -1,
 		ret = CDRF_DODEFAULT;
 	}
 
-	hr = uiprivNM_CUSTOMDRAWImagesCheckboxes(t, nm, &ret);
+	ZeroMemory(&dp, sizeof (uiprivSubitemDrawParams));
+	hr = fillSubitemDrawParams(t->hwnd, nm, &dp);
+	if (hr != S_OK) {
+		// TODO
+	}
+	hr = uiprivNM_CUSTOMDRAWImagesCheckboxes(t, nm, &dp, &ret);
 	if (hr != S_OK) {
 		// TODO
 	}
diff --git a/windows/table.hpp b/windows/table.hpp
index 0be01d8f..2f4f6936 100644
--- a/windows/table.hpp
+++ b/windows/table.hpp
@@ -43,8 +43,14 @@ struct uiTable {
 	// custom draw state
 	COLORREF clrItemText;
 };
+typedef struct uiprivSubitemDrawParams uiprivSubitemDrawParams;
+struct uiprivSubitemDrawParams {
+	RECT bounds;
+	RECT icon;
+	RECT label;
+};
 
 // tableimages.cpp
 extern HRESULT uiprivLVN_GETDISPINFOImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t, NMLVDISPINFOW *nm, uiprivTableColumnParams *p);
-extern HRESULT uiprivNM_CUSTOMDRAWImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t, NMLVCUSTOMDRAW *nm, LRESULT *lResult);
+extern HRESULT uiprivNM_CUSTOMDRAWImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t, NMLVCUSTOMDRAW *nm, uiprivSubitemDrawParams *dp, LRESULT *lResult);
 extern HRESULT uiprivTableSetupImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t);
diff --git a/windows/tableimages.cpp b/windows/tableimages.cpp
index a42307b1..14bae8c8 100644
--- a/windows/tableimages.cpp
+++ b/windows/tableimages.cpp
@@ -139,12 +139,11 @@ HRESULT uiprivLVN_GETDISPINFOImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t, NMLVDISPINFOW *nm, uip
 // however, there seems to be no way to do this natively, so we have to draw over ourselves (TODO?)
 // hopefully the performance won't be too bad
 // see also https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/79/Neat-Stuff-to-Do-in-List-Controls-Using-Custom-Dra
-HRESULT uiprivNM_CUSTOMDRAWImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t, NMLVCUSTOMDRAW *nm, LRESULT *lResult)
+HRESULT uiprivNM_CUSTOMDRAWImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t, NMLVCUSTOMDRAW *nm, uiprivSubitemDrawParams *dp, LRESULT *lResult)
 {
 	uiprivTableColumnParams *p;
 	int index;
 	RECT r;
-	RECT cellRect;
 	LONG yoff;
 
 	if (nm->nmcd.dwDrawStage == (CDDS_SUBITEM | CDDS_ITEMPREPAINT)) {
@@ -161,22 +160,9 @@ HRESULT uiprivNM_CUSTOMDRAWImagesCheckboxes(uiTable *t, NMLVCUSTOMDRAW *nm, LRES
 
 	index = checkboxIndex(t->model, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec,
 		p->checkboxModelColumn, p->checkboxEditableColumn);
-	ZeroMemory(&r, sizeof (RECT));
-	r.left = LVIR_ICON;
-	r.top = nm->iSubItem;
-	if (SendMessageW(t->hwnd, LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec, (LPARAM) (&r)) == 0) {
-		logLastError(L"LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT");
-		return E_FAIL;
-	}
+	r = dp->icon;
 	// the real listview also does this :|
-	ZeroMemory(&cellRect, sizeof (RECT));
-	r.left = LVIR_BOUNDS;
-	r.top = nm->iSubItem;
-	if (SendMessageW(t->hwnd, LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT, nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec, (LPARAM) (&cellRect)) == 0) {
-		logLastError(L"LVM_GETSUBITEMRECT cell");
-		return E_FAIL;
-	}
-	yoff = ((cellRect.bottom - cellRect.top) - (r.bottom - r.top)) / 2;
+	yoff = ((dp->bounds.bottom - dp->bounds.top) - (r.bottom - r.top)) / 2;
 	r.top += yoff;
 	r.bottom += yoff;
 if ((nm->nmcd.dwItemSpec%2)==0)