diff --git a/common/Makefile.am b/common/Makefile.am
index 11277ca20..bc063ec16 100644
--- a/common/Makefile.am
+++ b/common/Makefile.am
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ common_sources = \
 
 
 if HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
-common_sources += w32-reg.c
+common_sources += w32-reg.c w32-misc.c
 endif
 
 # To make the code easier to read we have split home some code into
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ module_tests = t-stringhelp t-timestuff \
                t-convert t-percent t-gettime t-sysutils t-sexputil \
 	       t-session-env t-openpgp-oid t-ssh-utils \
 	       t-mapstrings t-zb32 t-mbox-util t-iobuf t-strlist \
-	       t-name-value t-ccparray t-recsel
+	       t-name-value t-ccparray t-recsel t-w32-cmdline
 if !HAVE_W32CE_SYSTEM
 module_tests += t-exechelp t-exectool
 endif
@@ -222,6 +222,9 @@ t_name_value_LDADD = $(t_common_ldadd)
 t_ccparray_LDADD = $(t_common_ldadd)
 t_recsel_LDADD = $(t_common_ldadd)
 
+t_w32_cmdline_SOURCES = t-w32-cmdline.c w32-misc.c $(t_extra_src)
+t_w32_cmdline_LDADD = $(t_common_ldadd)
+
 # System specific test
 if HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
 t_w32_reg_SOURCES = t-w32-reg.c $(t_extra_src)
diff --git a/common/init.c b/common/init.c
index 073c5cd8a..06fd30956 100644
--- a/common/init.c
+++ b/common/init.c
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
 #include <gcrypt.h>
 #include "util.h"
 #include "i18n.h"
+#include "w32help.h"
 
 /* This object is used to register memory cleanup functions.
    Technically they are not needed but they can avoid frequent
@@ -79,6 +80,11 @@ sleep_on_exit (void)
 }
 #endif /*HAVE_W32CE_SYSTEM*/
 
+#if HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
+static void prepare_w32_commandline (int *argcp, char ***argvp);
+#endif /*HAVE_W32_SYSTEM*/
+
+
 
 static void
 run_mem_cleanup (void)
@@ -190,13 +196,10 @@ _init_common_subsystems (gpg_err_source_t errsource, int *argcp, char ***argvp)
   gpgrt_init ();
   gpgrt_set_alloc_func (gcry_realloc);
 
+#ifdef HAVE_W32CE_SYSTEM
   /* Special hack for Windows CE: We extract some options from arg
      to setup the standard handles.  */
-#ifdef HAVE_W32CE_SYSTEM
   parse_std_file_handles (argcp, argvp);
-#else
-  (void)argcp;
-  (void)argvp;
 #endif
 
   /* Access the standard estreams as early as possible.  If we don't
@@ -217,6 +220,16 @@ _init_common_subsystems (gpg_err_source_t errsource, int *argcp, char ***argvp)
 
   /* Logging shall use the standard socket directory as fallback.  */
   log_set_socket_dir_cb (gnupg_socketdir);
+
+#if HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
+  /* For Standard Windows we use our own parser for the command line
+   * so that we can return an array of utf-8 encoded strings.  */
+  prepare_w32_commandline (argcp, argvp);
+#else
+  (void)argcp;
+  (void)argvp;
+#endif
+
 }
 
 
@@ -290,3 +303,60 @@ parse_std_file_handles (int *argcp, char ***argvp)
 
 }
 #endif /*HAVE_W32CE_SYSTEM*/
+
+
+/* For Windows we need to parse the command line so that we can
+ * provide an UTF-8 encoded argv.  If there is any Unicode character
+ * we return a new array but if there is no Unicode character we do
+ * nothing.  */
+#ifdef HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
+static void
+prepare_w32_commandline (int *r_argc, char ***r_argv)
+{
+  const wchar_t *wcmdline, *ws;
+  char *cmdline;
+  int argc;
+  char **argv;
+  const char *s;
+  int globing;
+
+  s = gpgrt_strusage (95);
+  globing = (s && *s == '1');
+
+  wcmdline = GetCommandLineW ();
+  if (!wcmdline)
+    {
+      log_error ("GetCommandLineW failed\n");
+      return;  /* Ooops.  */
+    }
+
+  if (!globing)
+    {
+      /* If globbing is not enabled we use our own parser only if
+       * there are any non-ASCII characters.  */
+      for (ws=wcmdline; *ws; ws++)
+        if (!iswascii (*ws))
+          break;
+      if (!*ws)
+        return;  /* No Unicode - return directly.  */
+    }
+
+  cmdline = wchar_to_utf8 (wcmdline);
+  if (!cmdline)
+    {
+      log_error ("parsing command line failed: %s\n", strerror (errno));
+      return;  /* Ooops.  */
+    }
+  gpgrt_annotate_leaked_object (cmdline);
+
+  argv = w32_parse_commandline (cmdline, globing, &argc);
+  if (!argv)
+    {
+      log_error ("parsing command line failed: %s\n", "internal error");
+      return;  /* Ooops.  */
+    }
+  gpgrt_annotate_leaked_object (argv);
+  *r_argv = argv;
+  *r_argc = argc;
+}
+#endif /*HAVE_W32_SYSTEM*/
diff --git a/common/t-w32-cmdline.c b/common/t-w32-cmdline.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8686a376a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/t-w32-cmdline.c
@@ -0,0 +1,181 @@
+/* t-w32-cmdline.c - Test the parser for the Windows command line
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 g10 Code GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is part of GnuPG.
+ *
+ * This file is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of either
+ *
+ *   - the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+ *     Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+ *     your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * or
+ *
+ *   - 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.
+ *
+ * or both in parallel, as here.
+ *
+ * This file 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, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <config.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#include "t-support.h"
+#include "w32help.h"
+
+#define PGM "t-w32-cmdline"
+
+static int verbose;
+static int debug;
+static int errcount;
+
+
+static void
+test_all (void)
+{
+  static struct {
+    const char *cmdline;
+    int argc;        /* Expected number of args.  */
+    char *argv[10];  /* Expected results.  */
+  } tests[] = {
+    /* Examples from "Parsing C++ Command-Line Arguments" dated 11/18/2006.
+     * https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/17w5ykft(v=vs.85)
+     */
+    { "\"abc\" d e", 3,          { "abc",      "d",     "e" }},
+    { "a\\\\\\b d\"e f\"g h", 3, { "a\\\\\\b", "de fg", "h" }},
+    { "a\\\\\\\"b c d",       3, { "a\\\"b",   "c",     "d" }},
+    { "a\\\\\\\\\"b c\" d e", 3, { "a\\\\b c", "d",     "e" }},
+    /* Some arbitrary tests created using mingw.
+     * But I am nire sure whether their parser is fully correct.
+     */
+    { "e:a  a b\"c\" ",       3, { "e:a", "a", "bc" }},
+    /* { "e:a  a b\"c\"\" d\"\"e \" ", */
+    /*   5, { "e:a", "a", "bc\"", "de", " " }}, */
+    /* { "e:a  a b\"c\"\" d\"\"e\" f\\gh ", */
+    /*   4, { "e:a", "a", "bc\"", "de f\\gh "}}, */
+    /* { "e:a  a b\"c\"\" d\"\"e\" f\\\"gh \" ", */
+    /*   4, { "e:a", "a", "bc\"", "de f\"gh " }},*/
+
+    { "\"foo bar\"", 1 , { "foo bar" }},
+    { "", 1 , { "" }}
+  };
+  int tidx;
+  int i, any, argc;
+  char *cmdline;
+  char **argv;
+
+  for (tidx = 0; tidx < DIM(tests); tidx++)
+    {
+      cmdline = xstrdup (tests[tidx].cmdline);
+      if (verbose && tidx)
+        putchar ('\n');
+      if (verbose)
+        printf ("test %d: line    ->%s<-\n", tidx, cmdline);
+      argv = w32_parse_commandline (cmdline, 0, &argc);
+      if (!argv)
+        {
+          fail (tidx);
+          xfree (cmdline);
+          continue;
+        }
+      if (tests[tidx].argc != argc)
+        {
+          fprintf (stderr, PGM": test %d: argc wrong (want %d, got %d)\n",
+                   tidx, tests[tidx].argc, argc);
+          any = 1;
+        }
+      else
+        any = 0;
+      for (i=0; i < tests[tidx].argc; i++)
+        {
+          if (verbose)
+            printf ("test %d: argv[%d] ->%s<-\n",
+                    tidx, i, tests[tidx].argv[i]);
+          if (i < argc && strcmp (tests[tidx].argv[i], argv[i]))
+            {
+              if (verbose)
+                printf ("test %d:  got[%d] ->%s<- ERROR\n",
+                        tidx, i, argv[i]);
+              any = 1;
+            }
+        }
+      if (any)
+        {
+          fprintf (stderr, PGM": test %d: error%s\n",
+                   tidx, verbose? "":" (use --verbose)");
+          errcount++;
+        }
+      xfree (argv);
+    }
+}
+
+
+
+int
+main (int argc, char **argv)
+{
+  int last_argc = -1;
+
+  no_exit_on_fail = 1;
+
+  if (argc)
+    { argc--; argv++; }
+  while (argc && last_argc != argc )
+    {
+      last_argc = argc;
+      if (!strcmp (*argv, "--"))
+        {
+          argc--; argv++;
+          break;
+        }
+      else if (!strcmp (*argv, "--help"))
+        {
+          fputs ("usage: " PGM " [FILE]\n"
+                 "Options:\n"
+                 "  --verbose         Print timings etc.\n"
+                 "  --debug           Flyswatter\n"
+                 , stdout);
+          exit (0);
+        }
+      else if (!strcmp (*argv, "--verbose"))
+        {
+          verbose++;
+          argc--; argv++;
+        }
+      else if (!strcmp (*argv, "--debug"))
+        {
+          verbose += 2;
+          debug++;
+          argc--; argv++;
+        }
+      else if (!strncmp (*argv, "--", 2))
+        {
+          fprintf (stderr, PGM ": unknown option '%s'\n", *argv);
+          exit (1);
+        }
+    }
+
+  if (argc)
+    {
+      fprintf (stderr, PGM ": no arguments allowed\n");
+      exit (1);
+    }
+
+  test_all ();
+
+  return !!errcount;
+}
diff --git a/common/w32-misc.c b/common/w32-misc.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8aef12e4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/w32-misc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+/* w32-misc.c - Helper functions needed in Windows
+ * Copyright (C) 2021 g10 Code GmbH
+ *
+ * This file is part of GnuPG.
+ *
+ * This file is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of either
+ *
+ *   - the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free
+ *     Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+ *     your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * or
+ *
+ *   - 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.
+ *
+ * or both in parallel, as here.
+ *
+ * This file 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, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <config.h>
+
+#include "util.h"
+#include "w32help.h"
+
+
+/* Return the number of backslashes.  */
+static unsigned int
+count_backslashes (const char *s)
+{
+  unsigned int count = 0;
+
+  for ( ;*s == '\\'; s++)
+    count++;
+  return count;
+}
+
+
+static void
+strip_one_arg (char *string)
+{
+  char *s, *d;
+  unsigned int n, i;
+
+  for (s=d=string; *s; s++)
+    if (*s == '\\')
+      {
+        n = count_backslashes (s);
+        if (s[n] == '"')
+          {
+            for (i=0; i < n/2; i++)
+              *d++ = '\\';
+            if ((n&1)) /* Odd number of backslashes.  */
+              *d++ = '"';  /* Print the quote.  */
+          }
+        else /* Print all backslashes.  */
+          {
+            for (i=0; i < n; i++)
+              *d++ = '\\';
+            n--; /* Adjust for the increment in the for.  */
+          }
+        s += n;
+      }
+    else if (*s == '"' && s[1])
+      *d++ = *++s;
+    else
+      *d++ = *s;
+  *d = 0;
+}
+
+
+/* Helper for parse_w32_commandline.  */
+static int
+parse_cmdstring (char *string, char **argv)
+{
+  int argc = 0;
+  int inquote = 0;
+  char *p0, *p;
+  unsigned int n;
+
+  p0 = string;
+  for (p=string; *p; p++)
+    {
+      if (inquote)
+        {
+          if (*p == '\\' && p[1] == '"')
+            p++;
+          else if (*p == '"')
+            {
+              if (argv && (p[1] == ' ' || p[1] == '\t' || !p[1]))
+                *p = 0;
+              inquote = 0;
+            }
+        }
+      else if (*p == '\\' && (n=count_backslashes (p)))
+        {
+          if (!p0) /* First non-WS; set start.  */
+            p0 = p;
+          if (p[n] == '"')
+            {
+              if (!(n&1)) /* Even number.  */
+                inquote = 1;
+              p++;
+            }
+          p += n;
+        }
+      else if (*p == '"')
+        {
+          inquote = 1;
+          if (!p0 || p == string) /* First non-WS or first char; set start.  */
+            p0 = p + 1;
+        }
+      else if (*p == ' ' || *p == '\t')
+        {
+          if (p0) /* We are in an argument and reached WS.  */
+            {
+              if (argv)
+                {
+                  *p = 0;
+                  strip_one_arg (p0);
+                  argv[argc] = p0;
+                }
+              argc++;
+              p0 = NULL;
+            }
+        }
+      else if (!p0) /* First non-WS; set start.  */
+        p0 = p;
+    }
+
+  if (inquote || p0)
+    {
+      /* Closing quote missing (we accept this as argument anyway) or
+       * an open argument.  */
+      if (argv)
+        {
+          *p = 0;
+          strip_one_arg (p0);
+          argv[argc] = p0;
+        }
+      argc++;
+    }
+
+  return argc;
+}
+
+/* This is a Windows command line parser, returning an array with
+ * strings and its count.  The argument CMDLINE is expected to be
+ * utf-8 encoded and may be modified after returning from this
+ * function.  The returned array points into CMDLINE, so this should
+ * not be freed.  If GLOBING is set to true globing is done for all
+ * items.  Returns NULL on error.  The number of items in the array is
+ * returned at R_ARGC.  */
+char **
+w32_parse_commandline (char *cmdline, int globing, int *r_argc)
+{
+  int argc, i;
+  char **argv;
+
+  (void)globing;
+
+  argc = parse_cmdstring (cmdline, NULL);
+  if (!argc)
+    {
+      log_error ("%s failed: %s\n", __func__, "internal error");
+      return NULL;  /* Ooops.  */
+    }
+  argv = xtrycalloc (argc+1, sizeof *argv);
+  if (!argv)
+    {
+      log_error ("%s failed: %s\n", __func__, strerror (errno));
+      return NULL;  /* Ooops.  */
+    }
+  i = parse_cmdstring (cmdline, argv);
+  if (argc != i)
+    {
+      log_error ("%s failed (argc=%d i=%d)\n", __func__, argc, i);
+      xfree (argv);
+      return NULL;  /* Ooops.  */
+    }
+  *r_argc = argc;
+  return argv;
+}
diff --git a/common/w32help.h b/common/w32help.h
index 177efbc9f..ca5ccf8bd 100644
--- a/common/w32help.h
+++ b/common/w32help.h
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@
 
 #ifndef GNUPG_COMMON_W32HELP_H
 #define GNUPG_COMMON_W32HELP_H
+
+/*-- w32-misc.c --*/
+/* This module is also part of the Unix tests.  */
+char **w32_parse_commandline (char *cmdline, int globing, int *r_argc);
+
+
+
 #ifdef HAVE_W32_SYSTEM
 
 /*-- w32-reg.c --*/