diff --git a/core/Makefile b/core/Makefile
index 93e89520..41481354 100644
--- a/core/Makefile
+++ b/core/Makefile
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+OS ?= Linux
+
 PYTHON_QUBESPATH = $(PYTHON_SITEPATH)/qubes
+SETTINGS_SUFFIX = $(BACKEND_VMM)-$(OS)
 
 all:
 	python -m compileall .
@@ -19,3 +22,11 @@ endif
 	cp notify.py[co] $(DESTDIR)$(PYTHON_QUBESPATH)
 	cp backup.py $(DESTDIR)$(PYTHON_QUBESPATH)
 	cp backup.py[co] $(DESTDIR)$(PYTHON_QUBESPATH)
+ifneq ($(BACKEND_VMM),)
+	test -r settings-$(SETTINGS_SUFFIX).py && \
+		cp settings-$(SETTINGS_SUFFIX).py $(DESTDIR)$(PYTHON_QUBESPATH)/settings.py
+	test -r settings-$(SETTINGS_SUFFIX).pyc && \
+		cp settings-$(SETTINGS_SUFFIX).pyc $(DESTDIR)$(PYTHON_QUBESPATH)/settings.pyc
+	test -r settings-$(SETTINGS_SUFFIX).pyo && \
+		cp settings-$(SETTINGS_SUFFIX).pyo $(DESTDIR)$(PYTHON_QUBESPATH)/settings.pyo
+endif
diff --git a/core/qubes.py b/core/qubes.py
index 68b78bdd..693fffe2 100755
--- a/core/qubes.py
+++ b/core/qubes.py
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #
 #
 
+from __future__ import absolute_import
+
 import sys
 import os
 import os.path
@@ -868,6 +870,13 @@ for module_file in sorted(os.listdir(modules_dir)):
         continue
     __import__('qubes.modules.%s' % module_file[:-3])
 
+try:
+    import qubes.settings
+    qubes.settings.apply(system_path, vm_files, defaults)
+#except ImportError:
+finally:
+    pass
+
 for path_key in system_path.keys():
     system_path[path_key] = system_path[path_key].format(
             base_dir=system_path['qubes_base_dir']
diff --git a/core/settings-wni-Windows_NT.py b/core/settings-wni-Windows_NT.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2739b98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/settings-wni-Windows_NT.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python2
+
+def apply(system_path, vm_files, defaults):
+    system_path['qubes_base_dir'] = 'c:/qubes'