diff --git a/src/setup.py b/src/setup.py
index e73a1c6cef..0a8879dc2e 100755
--- a/src/setup.py
+++ b/src/setup.py
@@ -1181,6 +1181,30 @@ def add_gui_exe(script, icon, base_name):
                 add_exe(script, icon, base_name, base="Win32GUI")
             #END OF cx_freeze SECTION
         else:
+            #py2exe recipe for win32com:
+            # ModuleFinder can't handle runtime changes to __path__, but win32com uses them
+            try:
+                # py2exe 0.6.4 introduced a replacement modulefinder.
+                # This means we have to add package paths there, not to the built-in
+                # one.  If this new modulefinder gets integrated into Python, then
+                # we might be able to revert this some day.
+                # if this doesn't work, try import modulefinder
+                try:
+                    import py2exe.mf as modulefinder
+                except ImportError:
+                    import modulefinder
+                import win32com, sys
+                for p in win32com.__path__[1:]:
+                    modulefinder.AddPackagePath("win32com", p)
+                for extra in ["win32com.propsys"]: #,"win32com.mapi"
+                    __import__(extra)
+                    m = sys.modules[extra]
+                    for p in m.__path__[1:]:
+                        modulefinder.AddPackagePath(extra, p)
+            except ImportError:
+                # no build path setup, no worries.
+                pass
+
             import py2exe    #@UnresolvedImport
             assert py2exe is not None
             EXCLUDED_DLLS = list(py2exe.build_exe.EXCLUDED_DLLS) + ["nvcuda.dll"]
@@ -1193,7 +1217,7 @@ def add_gui_exe(script, icon, base_name):
                               "packages"       : packages,
                               "includes"       : external_includes,
                               "excludes"       : excludes,
-                              "dll_excludes"   : ["w9xpopen.exe", "tcl85.dll", "tk85.dll"],
+                              "dll_excludes"   : ["w9xpopen.exe", "tcl85.dll", "tk85.dll", "propsys.dll"],
                              }
             if not zip_ENABLED:
                 #the filename is actually ignored because we specify "skip_archive"
diff --git a/src/xpra/client/gtk2/client.py b/src/xpra/client/gtk2/client.py
index ecd6897b77..1c57df9f0f 100644
--- a/src/xpra/client/gtk2/client.py
+++ b/src/xpra/client/gtk2/client.py
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 # later version. See the file COPYING for details.
 
 import os
-import sys
 import gobject
 try:
     #we *have to* do this as early as possible on win32..
@@ -52,9 +51,6 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.local_clipboard_requests = 0
         self.remote_clipboard_requests = 0
 
-        #avoid ugly "not implemented" warning on win32
-        self.supports_group_leader = not sys.platform.startswith("win")
-
         self._ref_to_group_leader = {}
         self._group_leader_wids = {}
 
@@ -353,8 +349,6 @@ def window_ungrab(self):
 
 
     def get_group_leader(self, metadata, override_redirect):
-        if not self.supports_group_leader:
-            return None
         wid = metadata.intget("transient-for", -1)
         if wid>0:
             client_window = self._id_to_window.get(wid)
diff --git a/src/xpra/platform/win32/gui.py b/src/xpra/platform/win32/gui.py
index 746cd6620f..6f7e4ba14c 100644
--- a/src/xpra/platform/win32/gui.py
+++ b/src/xpra/platform/win32/gui.py
@@ -106,12 +106,39 @@ def get_monitor_workarea_for_window(handle):
         return None
 
 
+def noop(*args):
+    pass
+
+
 def add_window_hooks(window):
+    #win32 cannot use set_group by default:
+    try:
+        window.get_window().set_group = noop
+    except:
+        pass
     #gtk2 to window handle:
     try:
         handle = window.get_window().handle
     except:
         return
+    #windows 7 onwards can use AppUserModel to emulate the group leader stuff:
+    try:
+        import win32com.propsys                 #@UnresolvedImport
+        from win32com.propsys import propsys    #@UnresolvedImport
+        def set_group(leader):
+            log("win32 hooks: set_group(%s)", leader)
+            try:
+                ps = propsys.SHGetPropertyStoreForWindow(handle)
+                key = propsys.PSGetPropertyKeyFromName("System.AppUserModel.ID")
+                value = propsys.PROPVARIANTType(leader.handle)
+                log("win32 hooks: calling %s(%s, %s)", ps.SetValue, key, value)
+                ps.SetValue(key, value)
+            except Exception as e:
+                log.error("failed to set group leader: %s", e)
+        window.get_window().set_group = set_group
+        log("hooked group leader override using %s", win32com.propsys)
+    except Exception as e:
+        log("unable to implement group leader: %s", e, exc_info=True)
     #OR windows never have any decorations or taskbar menu
     if not window._override_redirect:
         #override set_decorated so we can preserve the taskbar menu for undecorated windows