diff --git a/collects/ffi/winapi.rkt b/collects/ffi/winapi.rkt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c1d3de4076
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/ffi/winapi.rkt
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#lang racket/base
+
+(provide win64? winapi)
+
+(define win64? 
+  (and (eq? 'windows (system-type))
+       (equal? "win32\\x86_64" (path->string (system-library-subpath #f)))))
+
+(define winapi (if win64? 'default 'stdcall))
diff --git a/collects/file/resource.rkt b/collects/file/resource.rkt
index bd047ac995..61db9bd759 100644
--- a/collects/file/resource.rkt
+++ b/collects/file/resource.rkt
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #lang racket/base
 (require ffi/unsafe
-         ffi/unsafe/define)
+         ffi/unsafe/define
+	 ffi/winapi)
 
 (provide get-resource
          write-resource)
@@ -46,9 +47,6 @@
 (define-ffi-definer define-kernel kernel-dll
   #:default-make-fail make-not-available)
 
-(define win64? (equal? "win32\\x86_64" (path->string (system-library-subpath #f))))
-(define win_abi (if win64? #f 'stdcall))
-
 (define _LONG _long)
 (define _DWORD _int32)
 (define _REGSAM _DWORD)
@@ -59,11 +57,11 @@
 
 (define ERROR_SUCCESS 0)
 
-(define-advapi RegOpenKeyExW (_fun #:abi win_abi
+(define-advapi RegOpenKeyExW (_fun #:abi winapi
                                    _HKEY _string/utf-16 _DWORD _REGSAM (hkey : (_ptr o _HKEY))
                                    -> (r : _LONG)
                                    -> (and (= r ERROR_SUCCESS) hkey)))
-(define-advapi RegCreateKeyExW (_fun #:abi win_abi
+(define-advapi RegCreateKeyExW (_fun #:abi winapi
                                      _HKEY _string/utf-16 (_DWORD = 0) 
                                      (_pointer = #f) ; class
                                      _DWORD ; options
@@ -74,7 +72,7 @@
                                      -> (r : _LONG)
                                      -> (and (= r ERROR_SUCCESS) hkey)))
 
-(define-advapi RegQueryValueExW (_fun #:abi win_abi
+(define-advapi RegQueryValueExW (_fun #:abi winapi
                                       _HKEY _string/utf-16 (_pointer = #f)
                                       (type : (_ptr o _DWORD))
                                       _pointer (len : (_ptr io _DWORD))
@@ -82,21 +80,21 @@
                                       -> (if (= r ERROR_SUCCESS) 
                                              (values len type)
                                              (values #f #f))))
-(define-advapi RegSetValueExW (_fun #:abi win_abi
+(define-advapi RegSetValueExW (_fun #:abi winapi
                                     _HKEY _string/utf-16 (_pointer = #f)
                                     _DWORD _pointer _DWORD
                                     -> (r : _LONG)
                                     -> (= r ERROR_SUCCESS)))
 
-(define-advapi RegCloseKey (_fun #:abi win_abi _HKEY -> _LONG))
+(define-advapi RegCloseKey (_fun #:abi winapi _HKEY -> _LONG))
 
-(define-kernel WritePrivateProfileStringW (_fun #:abi win_abi
+(define-kernel WritePrivateProfileStringW (_fun #:abi winapi
                                                 _string/utf-16 ; app
                                                 _string/utf-16 ; key
                                                 _string/utf-16 ; val
                                                 _string/utf-16 ; filename
                                                 -> _BOOL))
-(define-kernel GetPrivateProfileStringW (_fun #:abi win_abi
+(define-kernel GetPrivateProfileStringW (_fun #:abi winapi
                                               _string/utf-16 ; app
                                               _string/utf-16 ; key
                                               _string/utf-16 ; default
diff --git a/collects/mred/private/wx/win32/types.rkt b/collects/mred/private/wx/win32/types.rkt
index 288dfa4b31..d446fedc5f 100644
--- a/collects/mred/private/wx/win32/types.rkt
+++ b/collects/mred/private/wx/win32/types.rkt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #lang racket/base
-(require ffi/unsafe)
+(require ffi/unsafe
+	 ffi/winapi)
 
 (provide
  (protect-out _wfun
@@ -50,11 +51,8 @@
               MAKELONG
               MAKELPARAM))
 
-(define win64? (equal? "win32\\x86_64" (path->string (system-library-subpath #f))))
-(define win_abi (if win64? #f 'stdcall))
-
 (define-syntax-rule (_wfun . a)
-  (_fun #:abi win_abi . a))
+  (_fun #:abi winapi . a))
 
 (define _WORD _int16)
 (define _DWORD _int32)
diff --git a/collects/mzlib/os.rkt b/collects/mzlib/os.rkt
index 0d76602cb2..98f0c9b61f 100644
--- a/collects/mzlib/os.rkt
+++ b/collects/mzlib/os.rkt
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 #lang mzscheme
 
-(require mzlib/etc mzlib/foreign) (unsafe!)
+(require mzlib/etc 
+	 ffi/unsafe 
+	 ffi/cvector
+	 ffi/winapi)
 
 (define kernel32
   (delay (and (eq? 'windows (system-type)) (ffi-lib "kernel32"))))
@@ -23,7 +26,7 @@
 
 (define windows-getcomputername
   (delay-ffi-obj "GetComputerNameExA" (force kernel32)
-                 (_fun #:abi 'stdcall _int _bytes _cvector -> _int)))
+                 (_fun #:abi winapi _int _bytes _cvector -> _int)))
 
 (define (gethostname)
   (case (system-type)
diff --git a/collects/racket/draw/private/libs.rkt b/collects/racket/draw/private/libs.rkt
index 29adf9d469..967f20ebe3 100644
--- a/collects/racket/draw/private/libs.rkt
+++ b/collects/racket/draw/private/libs.rkt
@@ -1,21 +1,14 @@
 #lang scheme/base
 (require ffi/unsafe
          racket/runtime-path
-         (for-syntax racket/base))
+	 ffi/winapi
+         (for-syntax racket/base
+		     ffi/winapi))
 
 (provide define-runtime-lib
 	 win64?
 	 (for-syntax win64?))
 
-(define win64?
-  (and (eq? 'windows (system-type))
-       (equal? "win32\\x86_64" 
-	       (path->string (system-library-subpath #f)))))
-(define-for-syntax win64?
-  (and (eq? 'windows (system-type))
-       (equal? "win32\\x86_64" 
-	       (path->string (system-library-subpath #f)))))
-
 (define-syntax define-runtime-lib
   ;; the ids macosx unix windows don't appear to be bound here, but I added win32 and win64 anyways
   (syntax-rules (macosx unix windows win32 win64 ffi-lib)
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/foreign/derived.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/foreign/derived.scrbl
index 2be9249f13..9f7d964e03 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/foreign/derived.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/foreign/derived.scrbl
@@ -14,3 +14,4 @@
 @include-section["try-atomic.scrbl"]
 @include-section["objc.scrbl"]
 @include-section["file.scrbl"]
+@include-section["winapi.scrbl"]
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/foreign/types.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/foreign/types.scrbl
index c9a894d703..2d61451ccb 100644
--- a/collects/scribblings/foreign/types.scrbl
+++ b/collects/scribblings/foreign/types.scrbl
@@ -400,9 +400,9 @@ particular, its lexical context is properly preserved.
 The optional @racket[abi] keyword argument determines the foreign ABI
 that is used. Supplying @racket[#f] or @racket['default] indicates the
 platform-dependent default. The other possible
-values---@racket['stdcall]and @racket['sysv] (i.e., ``cdecl'')---are
+values---@racket['stdcall] and @racket['sysv] (i.e., ``cdecl'')---are
 currently supported only for 32-bit Windows; using them on other
-platforms raises an exception.
+platforms raises an exception. See also @racketmodname[ffi/winapi].
 
 If @racket[atomic?] is true, then when a Racket procedure is given
 this procedure type and called from foreign code, then the Racket
diff --git a/collects/scribblings/foreign/winapi.scrbl b/collects/scribblings/foreign/winapi.scrbl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b7948b7282
--- /dev/null
+++ b/collects/scribblings/foreign/winapi.scrbl
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#lang scribble/doc
+@(require "utils.rkt" (for-label ffi/winapi))
+
+@title[#:tag "winapi"]{Windows API Helpers}
+
+@defmodule[ffi/winapi]
+
+@defthing[win64? boolean?]{
+
+Indicates whether the current platform is 64-bit Windows: @racket[#t]
+if so, @racket[#f] otherwise.}
+
+
+@defthing[winapi (or/c 'stdcall 'default)]{
+
+Suitable for use as an ABI specification for a Windows API function:
+@racket['stdcall] on 32-bit Windows, @racket['default] on 64-bit
+Windows or any other platform.}