diff --git a/src/shared/file/PharActivatorFactory.php b/src/shared/file/PharActivatorFactory.php
index e3ee5a64..43cd790f 100644
--- a/src/shared/file/PharActivatorFactory.php
+++ b/src/shared/file/PharActivatorFactory.php
@@ -17,4 +17,12 @@ public function getSymlinkPharActivator() {
         return new SymlinkPharActivator();
     }
 
+
+    /**
+     * @return WindowsPharActivator
+     */
+    public function getWindowsPharActivator() {
+        return new WindowsPharActivator(file_get_contents(__DIR__ . '/../../../conf/pharBat.template'));
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/shared/file/PharActivatorLocator.php b/src/shared/file/PharActivatorLocator.php
index c6ab315a..423fbcb0 100644
--- a/src/shared/file/PharActivatorLocator.php
+++ b/src/shared/file/PharActivatorLocator.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public function __construct(PharActivatorFactory $factory) {
      */
     public function getPharActivator(Environment $environment) {
         if ($environment instanceof WindowsEnvironment) {
-            return $this->factory->getBatPharActivator();
+            return $this->factory->getWindowsPharActivator();
         }
 
         return $this->factory->getSymlinkPharActivator();
diff --git a/src/shared/file/WindowsPharActivator.php b/src/shared/file/WindowsPharActivator.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..397b725b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/file/WindowsPharActivator.php
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace PharIo\Phive;
+
+use PharIo\FileSystem\Filename;
+
+/**
+ * The WindowsPharActivator tries to set a hardlink for the phar file.
+ * If that works it will add a bat file for the link, for
+ * the original phar file, otherwise.
+ */
+class WindowsPharActivator implements PharActivator {
+
+    const PHAR_PLACEHOLDER = '##PHAR_FILENAME##';
+
+    private $template;
+
+    /**
+     * @param string $template
+     */
+    public function __construct($template) {
+        $this->template = $template;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param Filename $pharLocation
+     * @param Filename $linkDestination
+     *
+     * @return Filename
+     */
+    public function activate(Filename $pharLocation, Filename $linkDestination) {
+        $this->ensureDestinationIsWritable($linkDestination);
+
+        $destination = new Filename($linkDestination->asString().'.phar');
+        if ($this->addFileLink($pharLocation, $destination)) {
+            $template = str_replace(self::PHAR_PLACEHOLDER, $destination->asString(), $this->template);
+        } else {
+            $template = str_replace(self::PHAR_PLACEHOLDER, $pharLocation->asString(), $this->template);
+        }
+        $linkFilename = new Filename($linkDestination->asString().'.bat');
+        file_put_contents($linkFilename, $template);
+        return $destination;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Set a windows hardlink
+     *
+     * @param Filename $source
+     * @param Filename $target
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    private function addFileLink(Filename $source, Filename $target) {
+        $output = [];
+        $returnValue = 0;
+        exec(
+            'mklink /H '.escapeshellarg($source).' '.escapeshellarg($target),
+            $output,
+            $returnValue
+        );
+        return $returnValue === 0;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param Filename $destination
+     *
+     * @throws FileNotWritableException
+     */
+    private function ensureDestinationIsWritable(Filename $destination) {
+        if (!$destination->getDirectory()->isWritable()) {
+            throw new FileNotWritableException(sprintf('File %s is not writable.', $destination->asString()));
+        }
+    }
+}