diff --git a/harbour/ChangeLog b/harbour/ChangeLog
index e2d5b43e13..e98e95bc10 100644
--- a/harbour/ChangeLog
+++ b/harbour/ChangeLog
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@
    The license applies to all entries newer than 2009-04-28.
 */
 
+2011-07-12 00:10 UTC+0200 Viktor Szakats (harbour.01 syenar.hu)
+  * config/win/global.mk
+  * contrib/hbpost.hbm
+    + added undocumented build option __HB_BUILD_WINUNI=unicows
+      to build Harbour core binaries (.exes and .dlls) with
+      unicows lib linked it so they run on Win9x systems.
+      User has to supply unicows libs, see INSTALL about them.
+
 2011-07-11 23:30 UTC+0200 Viktor Szakats (harbour.01 syenar.hu)
   * package/winuni/mpkg_win_uni.bat
     * changed to copy mingw dlls from mingw rather than from QT
diff --git a/harbour/config/win/global.mk b/harbour/config/win/global.mk
index 5d221dd8dc..7db98eef28 100644
--- a/harbour/config/win/global.mk
+++ b/harbour/config/win/global.mk
@@ -16,4 +16,10 @@ HB_GT_LIBS += gtwvt gtgui gtwin
 # ws2_32: WSAIoctl()
 # advapi32: GetUserName()
 # gdi32: gtwvt
+
+# must come after user libs and before Windows system libs
+ifeq ($(__HB_BUILD_WINUNI),unicows)
+   SYSLIBS += unicows
+endif
+
 SYSLIBS += kernel32 user32 ws2_32 advapi32 gdi32
diff --git a/harbour/contrib/hbpost.hbm b/harbour/contrib/hbpost.hbm
index 71687999aa..22b2c33947 100644
--- a/harbour/contrib/hbpost.hbm
+++ b/harbour/contrib/hbpost.hbm
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 -cflag=-DHB_LEGACY_TYPES_OFF
 {allwin&!(__HB_BUILD_WINUNI='no')}-winuni
+{allwin&(__HB_BUILD_WINUNI='unicows')}-lunicows
 
 {HB_BUILD_DEBUG}-prgflag=-l-
 {HB_BUILD_DEBUG}-debug