diff --git a/util/w32reg.c b/util/w32reg.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..01ca5df89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/w32reg.c
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+/* w32reg.c -  MS-Windows Registry access
+ *	Copyright (C) 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+ *
+ * This file is part of GnuPG.
+ *
+ * GnuPG is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * GnuPG is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA
+ */
+
+#include <config.h>
+#ifdef __MINGW32__  /* This module is only used in this environment */
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <stdarg.h>
+#include <windows.h>
+#include "util.h"
+#include "memory.h"
+
+
+/****************
+ * Return a string from the Win32 Registry or NULL in case of
+ * error.  Caller must release the return value.   A NUKK for root
+ * is an alias fro HKEY_CURRENT_USER
+ * NOTE: The value is allocated with a plain malloc() - use free() and not
+ * the usual m_free()!!!
+ */
+char *
+read_w32_registry_string( const char *root, const char *dir, const char *name )
+{
+    HKEY root_key, key_handle;
+    DWORD n1, nbytes;
+    char *result = NULL;
+
+    if( !root )
+	root_key = HKEY_CURRENT_USER;
+    else if( !strcmp( root, "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT" ) )
+	root_key = HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT;
+    else if( !strcmp( root, "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" ) )
+	root_key = HKEY_CURRENT_USER;
+    else if( !strcmp( root, "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE" ) )
+	root_key = HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE;
+    else if( !strcmp( root, "HKEY_USERS" ) )
+	root_key = HKEY_USERS;
+    else if( !strcmp( root, "HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA" ) )
+	root_key = HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA;
+    else if( !strcmp( root, "HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG" ) )
+	root_key = HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG;
+    else
+	return NULL;
+
+    if( RegOpenKeyEx( root_key, dir, 0, KEY_READ, &key_handle ) )
+	return NULL; /* no need for a RegClose, so return direct */
+
+    nbytes = 1;
+    if( RegQueryValueEx( key_handle, name, 0, NULL, NULL, &nbytes ) )
+	goto leave;
+    result = malloc( (n1=nbytes+1) );
+    if( !result )
+	goto leave;
+    if( RegQueryValueEx( key_handle, name, 0, NULL, result, &n1 ) ) {
+	m_free(result); result = NULL;
+	goto leave;
+    }
+    result[nbytes] = 0; /* make sure it is really a string  */
+
+  leave:
+    RegCloseKey( key_handle );
+    return result;
+}
+
+
+
+
+
+#endif /* __MINGW32__ */