diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3ab8f9444f932..6946b312288a7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ ifeq ($(OS), WINNT)
 	cd $(BUILDROOT)/julia-$(JULIA_COMMIT) && find * | sed -e 's/\//\\/g' -e 's/$$/\r/g' > etc/uninstall.log
 
 	# build nsis package
-	cd $(BUILDROOT) && $(call spawn,$(JULIAHOME)/dist-extras/nsis/makensis.exe) -NOCD -DVersion=$(JULIA_VERSION) -DArch=$(ARCH) -DCommit=$(JULIA_COMMIT) -DMUI_ICON="$(call cygpath_w,$(JULIAHOME)/contrib/windows/julia.ico)" $(call cygpath_w,$(JULIAHOME)/contrib/windows/build-installer.nsi) | iconv -f latin1
+	cd $(BUILDROOT) && $(call spawn,$(JULIAHOME)/dist-extras/nsis/makensis.exe) -NOCD -DVersion=$(JULIA_VERSION) -DArch=$(ARCH) -DCommit=$(JULIA_COMMIT) -DJULIAHOME="$(call cygpath_w,$(JULIAHOME))" $(call cygpath_w,$(JULIAHOME)/contrib/windows/build-installer.nsi) | iconv -f latin1
 
 	# compress nsis installer and combine with 7zip self-extracting header
 	cd $(BUILDROOT) && $(JULIAHOME)/dist-extras/7z a -mx9 "julia-install-$(JULIA_COMMIT)-$(ARCH).7z" julia-installer.exe
diff --git a/contrib/windows/build-installer.nsi b/contrib/windows/build-installer.nsi
index 21415da06c9bb..69d717045f266 100644
--- a/contrib/windows/build-installer.nsi
+++ b/contrib/windows/build-installer.nsi
@@ -4,14 +4,19 @@ Unicode true
 !include "nsDialogs.nsh"
 !include "winmessages.nsh"
 
-Name "The Julia Language"
+Name "Julia"
 OutFile "julia-installer.exe"
 SetCompress off
-CRCCheck on
+CRCCheck off
 SetDataBlockOptimize on
-ShowInstDetails show
+ShowInstDetails nevershow
 RequestExecutionLevel user
-BrandingText "Julia ${Version}"
+BrandingText " "
+Caption "Julia Installer" # title bar
+
+!define MUI_ICON "${JULIAHOME}\contrib\windows\julia.ico"
+!define MUI_UNICON "${NSISDIR}\Contrib\Graphics\Icons\orange-uninstall.ico"
+!define MUI_WELCOMEFINISHPAGE_BITMAP "${JULIAHOME}\contrib\windows\julia-banner.bmp"
 
 # Uninstall settings
 !define UninstLog "uninstall.log"
@@ -42,18 +47,29 @@ InstallDir "$LOCALAPPDATA\Julia-${Version}"
 # Page settings
 # Note that we repurpose the checkboxes on the FinishPage
 # in order to keep it simple.
-!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "Julia may be installed in any accessible directory, including a home folder or portable device. Please run as Administrator to install for system-wide use."
+!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_TEXT "Choose Installation Directory"
+!define MUI_PAGE_HEADER_SUBTEXT ""
+!define MUI_DIRECTORYPAGE_TEXT_TOP "Julia may be installed in any accessible directory.$\r$\n$\r$\nPlease run installer as Administrator to install Julia system-wide."
 !define MUI_FINISHPAGE_SHOWREADME
 !define MUI_FINISHPAGE_SHOWREADME_TEXT "Create Start Menu folder and shortcut"
 !define MUI_FINISHPAGE_SHOWREADME_FUNCTION AddToStartMenu
+
+!define MUI_WELCOMEPAGE_TITLE "Welcome to Julia ${Version}"
+!define MUI_WELCOMEPAGE_TEXT  "Setup will guide you through installation.$\r$\n$\r$\nClick Next to continue."
+!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_TITLE "Julia installation complete"
+!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_TEXT "Julia has been successfully installed.$\r$\n$\r$\nClick Finish to close the installer."
+
 !define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN
-!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN_TEXT "Open Julia install folder"
+!define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN_TEXT "Open the Julia install folder"
 !define MUI_FINISHPAGE_RUN_FUNCTION ShowInstallFolder
 
 # Pages to show
-
+!insertmacro MUI_PAGE_WELCOME
 !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_DIRECTORY
 !insertmacro MUI_PAGE_INSTFILES
+Section
+!insertmacro MUI_HEADER_TEXT "Installing" ""
+SectionEnd
 
 !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_SHOW desktopCheckbox
 !define MUI_PAGE_CUSTOMFUNCTION_LEAVE createDesktopLink
@@ -147,7 +163,7 @@ SectionEnd
 # Helper function to create Start Menu folder and shortcuts
 Function AddToStartMenu
     CreateDirectory "$SMPROGRAMS\${JuliaStartMenuFolder}"
-    CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\${JuliaStartMenuFolder}\julia-${Version}.lnk" "$INSTDIR\julia.lnk" "" "" "" "" "" "The Julia Language"
+    CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\${JuliaStartMenuFolder}\julia-${Version}.lnk" "$INSTDIR\julia.lnk" "" "" "" "" "" "Julia"
     CreateShortcut "$SMPROGRAMS\${JuliaStartMenuFolder}\Uninstall-Julia-${Version}.lnk" "$instdir\Uninstall.exe"
 FunctionEnd
 
diff --git a/contrib/windows/julia-banner.bmp b/contrib/windows/julia-banner.bmp
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000000..964dfec8653e5
Binary files /dev/null and b/contrib/windows/julia-banner.bmp differ