diff --git a/control/controlclient/hostinfo_windows.go b/control/controlclient/hostinfo_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d5298a9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/control/controlclient/hostinfo_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2020 Tailscale Inc & AUTHORS All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package controlclient
+
+import (
+	"os/exec"
+	"strings"
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	osVersion = osVersionWindows
+}
+
+func osVersionWindows() string {
+	cmd := exec.Command("cmd", "/c", "ver")
+	cmd.SysProcAttr = &syscall.SysProcAttr{HideWindow: true}
+	out, _ := cmd.Output() // "\nMicrosoft Windows [Version 10.0.19041.388]\n\n"
+	s := strings.TrimSpace(string(out))
+	s = strings.TrimPrefix(s, "Microsoft Windows [")
+	s = strings.TrimSuffix(s, "]")
+	s = strings.TrimPrefix(s, "Version ") // is this localized? do it last in case.
+	return s                              // "10.0.19041.388", ideally
+}