diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4edaaac6d4..9999a09490 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1655,11 +1655,17 @@ version.sp version.s version.o: EXTRA_CPPFLAGS = \
 	'-DGIT_VERSION="$(GIT_VERSION)"' \
 	'-DGIT_USER_AGENT=$(GIT_USER_AGENT_CQ_SQ)'
 
+ifeq (,$(BUILT_IN_WRAPPER))
 $(BUILT_INS): git$X
 	$(QUIET_BUILT_IN)$(RM) $@ && \
 	ln $< $@ 2>/dev/null || \
 	ln -s $< $@ 2>/dev/null || \
 	cp $< $@
+else
+$(BUILT_INS): $(BUILT_IN_WRAPPER)
+	$(QUIET_BUILT_IN)$(RM) $@ && \
+	cp $< $@
+endif
 
 common-cmds.h: ./generate-cmdlist.sh command-list.txt
 
@@ -2222,6 +2228,24 @@ profile-install: profile
 profile-fast-install: profile-fast
 	$(MAKE) install
 
+ifeq (,$(BUILT_IN_WRAPPER))
+LN_OR_CP_BUILT_IN_BINDIR = \
+	test -z "$(NO_INSTALL_HARDLINKS)" && \
+	ln "$$bindir/git$X" "$$bindir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
+	ln -s "git$X" "$$bindir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
+	cp "$$bindir/git$X" "$$bindir/$$p" || exit;
+LN_OR_CP_BUILT_IN_EXECDIR = \
+	test -z "$(NO_INSTALL_HARDLINKS)" && \
+	ln "$$exectir/git$X" "$$exectir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
+	ln -s "git$X" "$$exectir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
+	cp "$$exectir/git$X" "$$exectir/$$p" || exit;
+else
+LN_OR_CP_BUILT_IN_BINDIR = \
+	cp "$(BUILT_IN_WRAPPER)" "$$bindir/$$p" || exit;
+LN_OR_CP_BUILT_IN_EXECDIR = \
+	cp "$(BUILT_IN_WRAPPER)" "$$execdir/$$p" || exit;
+endif
+
 install: all
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 755 '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(bindir_SQ)'
 	$(INSTALL) -d -m 755 '$(DESTDIR_SQ)$(gitexec_instdir_SQ)'
@@ -2260,17 +2284,11 @@ endif
 	} && \
 	for p in $(filter $(install_bindir_programs),$(BUILT_INS)); do \
 		$(RM) "$$bindir/$$p" && \
-		test -z "$(NO_INSTALL_HARDLINKS)" && \
-		ln "$$bindir/git$X" "$$bindir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
-		ln -s "git$X" "$$bindir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
-		cp "$$bindir/git$X" "$$bindir/$$p" || exit; \
+		$(LN_OR_CP_BUILT_IN_BINDIR) \
 	done && \
 	for p in $(BUILT_INS); do \
 		$(RM) "$$execdir/$$p" && \
-		test -z "$(NO_INSTALL_HARDLINKS)" && \
-		ln "$$execdir/git$X" "$$execdir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
-		ln -s "git$X" "$$execdir/$$p" 2>/dev/null || \
-		cp "$$execdir/git$X" "$$execdir/$$p" || exit; \
+		$(LN_OR_CP_BUILT_IN_EXECDIR) \
 	done && \
 	remote_curl_aliases="$(REMOTE_CURL_ALIASES)" && \
 	for p in $$remote_curl_aliases; do \
diff --git a/compat/win32/git-wrapper.c b/compat/win32/git-wrapper.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0266617b15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compat/win32/git-wrapper.c
@@ -0,0 +1,233 @@
+/*
+ * git-wrapper - replace cmd\git.cmd with an executable
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2012 Pat Thoyts <patthoyts@users.sourceforge.net>
+ */
+
+#define STRICT
+#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
+#define UNICODE
+#define _UNICODE
+#include <windows.h>
+#include <shlwapi.h>
+#include <shellapi.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+static void print_error(LPCWSTR prefix, DWORD error_number)
+{
+	LPWSTR buffer = NULL;
+	DWORD count = 0;
+
+	count = FormatMessageW(FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER
+			| FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM
+			| FORMAT_MESSAGE_IGNORE_INSERTS,
+			NULL, error_number, LANG_NEUTRAL,
+			(LPTSTR)&buffer, 0, NULL);
+	if (count < 1)
+		count = FormatMessageW(FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER
+				| FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_STRING
+				| FORMAT_MESSAGE_ARGUMENT_ARRAY,
+				L"Code 0x%1!08x!",
+				0, LANG_NEUTRAL, (LPTSTR)&buffer, 0,
+				(va_list*)&error_number);
+	fwprintf(stderr, L"%s: %s", prefix, buffer);
+	LocalFree((HLOCAL)buffer);
+}
+
+static void setup_environment(LPWSTR exepath)
+{
+	int len;
+	LPWSTR path2 = NULL;
+
+	/* if not set, set TERM to msys */
+	if (!GetEnvironmentVariable(L"TERM", NULL, 0))
+		SetEnvironmentVariable(L"TERM", L"msys");
+
+	/* if not set, set PLINK_PROTOCOL to ssh */
+	if (!GetEnvironmentVariable(L"PLINK_PROTOCOL", NULL, 0))
+		SetEnvironmentVariable(L"PLINK_PROTOCOL", L"ssh");
+
+	/* set HOME to %HOMEDRIVE%%HOMEPATH% or %USERPROFILE%
+	 * With roaming profiles: HOMEPATH is the roaming location and
+	 * USERPROFILE is the local location
+	 */
+	if (!GetEnvironmentVariable(L"HOME", NULL, 0)) {
+		LPWSTR e = NULL;
+		len = GetEnvironmentVariable(L"HOMEPATH", NULL, 0);
+		if (len == 0) {
+			len = GetEnvironmentVariable(L"USERPROFILE", NULL, 0);
+			if (len != 0) {
+				e = (LPWSTR)malloc(len * sizeof(WCHAR));
+				GetEnvironmentVariable(L"USERPROFILE", e, len);
+				SetEnvironmentVariable(L"HOME", e);
+				free(e);
+			}
+		}
+		else {
+			int n;
+			len += GetEnvironmentVariable(L"HOMEDRIVE", NULL, 0);
+			e = (LPWSTR)malloc(sizeof(WCHAR) * (len + 2));
+			n = GetEnvironmentVariable(L"HOMEDRIVE", e, len);
+			GetEnvironmentVariable(L"HOMEPATH", &e[n], len-n);
+			SetEnvironmentVariable(L"HOME", e);
+			free(e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* extend the PATH */
+	len = GetEnvironmentVariable(L"PATH", NULL, 0);
+	len = sizeof(WCHAR) * (len + 2 * MAX_PATH);
+	path2 = (LPWSTR)malloc(len);
+	wcscpy(path2, exepath);
+	PathAppend(path2, L"bin;");
+	/* should do this only if it exists */
+	wcscat(path2, exepath);
+	PathAppend(path2, L"mingw\\bin;");
+	GetEnvironmentVariable(L"PATH", &path2[wcslen(path2)],
+			(len/sizeof(WCHAR))-wcslen(path2));
+	SetEnvironmentVariable(L"PATH", path2);
+	free(path2);
+
+}
+
+/*
+ * Fix up the command line to call git.exe
+ * We have to be very careful about quoting here so we just
+ * trim off the first argument and replace it leaving the rest
+ * untouched.
+ */
+static LPWSTR fixup_commandline(LPWSTR exepath, LPWSTR *exep, int *wait,
+	LPWSTR builtin, int builtin_len)
+{
+	int wargc = 0, gui = 0;
+	LPWSTR cmd = NULL, cmdline = NULL;
+	LPWSTR *wargv = NULL, p = NULL;
+
+	cmdline = GetCommandLine();
+	wargv = CommandLineToArgvW(cmdline, &wargc);
+	cmd = (LPWSTR)malloc(sizeof(WCHAR) *
+		(wcslen(cmdline) + builtin_len + 1 + MAX_PATH));
+	if (wargc > 1 && wcsicmp(L"gui", wargv[1]) == 0) {
+		*wait = 0;
+		if (wargc > 2 && wcsicmp(L"citool", wargv[2]) == 0) {
+			*wait = 1;
+			wcscpy(cmd, L"git.exe");
+		}
+		else {
+			WCHAR script[MAX_PATH];
+			gui = 1;
+			wcscpy(script, exepath);
+			PathAppend(script,
+				L"libexec\\git-core\\git-gui");
+			PathQuoteSpaces(script);
+			wcscpy(cmd, L"wish.exe ");
+			wcscat(cmd, script);
+			wcscat(cmd, L" --");
+			/* find the module from the commandline */
+			*exep = NULL;
+		}
+	}
+	else if (builtin)
+		_swprintf(cmd, L"%s\\%s %.*s",
+			exepath, L"git.exe", builtin_len, builtin);
+	else
+		wcscpy(cmd, L"git.exe");
+
+	/* append all after first space after the initial parameter */
+	p = wcschr(&cmdline[wcslen(wargv[0])], L' ');
+	if (p && *p) {
+		/* for git gui subcommands, remove the 'gui' word */
+		if (gui) {
+			while (*p == L' ') ++p;
+			p = wcschr(p, L' ');
+		}
+		if (p && *p)
+			wcscat(cmd, p);
+	}
+	LocalFree(wargv);
+
+	return cmd;
+}
+
+int main(void)
+{
+	int r = 1, wait = 1, builtin_len = -1;
+	WCHAR exepath[MAX_PATH], exe[MAX_PATH];
+	LPWSTR cmd = NULL, exep = exe, builtin = NULL, basename;
+	UINT codepage = 0;
+
+	/* get the installation location */
+	GetModuleFileName(NULL, exepath, MAX_PATH);
+	if (!PathRemoveFileSpec(exepath)) {
+		fwprintf(stderr, L"Invalid executable path: %s\n", exepath);
+		ExitProcess(1);
+	}
+	basename = exepath + wcslen(exepath) + 1;
+	if (!wcsncmp(basename, L"git-", 4)) {
+		/* Call a builtin */
+		builtin = basename + 4;
+		builtin_len = wcslen(builtin);
+		if (!wcscmp(builtin + builtin_len - 4, L".exe"))
+			builtin_len -= 4;
+
+		/* set the default exe module */
+		wcscpy(exe, exepath);
+		PathAppend(exe, L"git.exe");
+	}
+	else if (!wcscmp(basename, L"git.exe")) {
+		if (!PathRemoveFileSpec(exepath)) {
+			fwprintf(stderr,
+				L"Invalid executable path: %s\n", exepath);
+			ExitProcess(1);
+		}
+
+		/* set the default exe module */
+		wcscpy(exe, exepath);
+		PathAppend(exe, L"bin\\git.exe");
+	}
+
+	if (!builtin)
+		setup_environment(exepath);
+	cmd = fixup_commandline(exepath, &exep, &wait, builtin, builtin_len);
+
+	/* set the console to ANSI/GUI codepage */
+	codepage = GetConsoleCP();
+	SetConsoleCP(GetACP());
+
+	{
+		STARTUPINFO si;
+		PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
+		BOOL br = FALSE;
+		ZeroMemory(&pi, sizeof(PROCESS_INFORMATION));
+		ZeroMemory(&si, sizeof(STARTUPINFO));
+		si.cb = sizeof(STARTUPINFO);
+		br = CreateProcess(/* module: null means use command line */
+				exep,
+				cmd,  /* modified command line */
+				NULL, /* process handle inheritance */
+				NULL, /* thread handle inheritance */
+				TRUE, /* handles inheritable? */
+				CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT,
+				NULL, /* environment: use parent */
+				NULL, /* starting directory: use parent */
+				&si, &pi);
+		if (br) {
+			if (wait)
+				WaitForSingleObject(pi.hProcess, INFINITE);
+			if (!GetExitCodeProcess(pi.hProcess, (DWORD *)&r))
+				print_error(L"error reading exit code",
+					GetLastError());
+			CloseHandle(pi.hProcess);
+		}
+		else {
+			print_error(L"error launching git", GetLastError());
+			r = 1;
+		}
+	}
+
+	free(cmd);
+
+	/* reset the console codepage */
+	SetConsoleCP(codepage);
+	ExitProcess(r);
+}
diff --git a/config.mak.uname b/config.mak.uname
index 5bd7ab441e..bb55c56e07 100644
--- a/config.mak.uname
+++ b/config.mak.uname
@@ -561,6 +561,15 @@ else
 	else
 		NO_CURL = YesPlease
 	endif
+	OTHER_PROGRAMS += git-wrapper$(X)
+	BUILT_IN_WRAPPER = git-wrapper$(X)
+
+git-wrapper$(X): compat/win32/git-wrapper.o git.res
+	$(QUIET_LINK)$(CC) -Wall -s -o $@ $^ -lshell32 -lshlwapi
+
+compat/win32/git-wrapper.o: %.o: %.c
+	$(QUIET_CC)$(CC) -o $*.o -c -Wall -Wwrite-strings $<
+
 endif
 endif
 ifeq ($(uname_S),QNX)