diff --git a/service_windows.go b/service_windows.go
index d52fdbf2..c08cda81 100644
--- a/service_windows.go
+++ b/service_windows.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package service
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/signal"
@@ -39,6 +40,11 @@ const (
 	errnoServiceDoesNotExist syscall.Errno = 1060
 )
 
+var (
+	errAlreadyRunning = errors.New("service already running")
+	errAlreadyStopped = errors.New("service already stopped")
+)
+
 type windowsService struct {
 	i Interface
 	*Config
@@ -178,48 +184,63 @@ func (ws *windowsService) getError() error {
 	return ws.stopStartErr
 }
 
-func (ws *windowsService) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, changes chan<- svc.Status) (bool, uint32) {
-	const cmdsAccepted = svc.AcceptStop | svc.AcceptShutdown
+func (ws *windowsService) Execute(args []string, r <-chan svc.ChangeRequest, changes chan<- svc.Status) (ssec bool, exitCode uint32) {
+	var err error
+	defer func() {
+		if err != nil {
+			ssec = true
+			ws.setError(err)
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// Signal that we're starting.
 	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.StartPending}
 
-	if err := ws.i.Start(ws); err != nil {
-		ws.setError(err)
-		return true, 1
+	// Perform the actual start.
+	if initErr := ws.i.Start(ws); initErr != nil {
+		err = initErr
+		exitCode = 1
+		return
 	}
 
-	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.Running, Accepts: cmdsAccepted}
+	// Signal that we're ready.
+	changes <- svc.Status{
+		State:   svc.Running,
+		Accepts: svc.AcceptStop | svc.AcceptShutdown,
+	}
+
+	// Expect service change requests.
+	var stopMethod func(s Service) error
 loop:
-	for {
-		c := <-r
+	for c := range r {
 		switch c.Cmd {
 		case svc.Interrogate:
 			changes <- c.CurrentStatus
-		case svc.Stop:
-			changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.StopPending}
-			if err := ws.i.Stop(ws); err != nil {
-				ws.setError(err)
-				return true, 2
-			}
-			break loop
 		case svc.Shutdown:
-			changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.StopPending}
-			var err error
-			if wsShutdown, ok := ws.i.(Shutdowner); ok {
-				err = wsShutdown.Shutdown(ws)
-			} else {
-				err = ws.i.Stop(ws)
-			}
-			if err != nil {
-				ws.setError(err)
-				return true, 2
+			if shutdowner, ok := ws.i.(Shutdowner); ok {
+				stopMethod = shutdowner.Shutdown
+				break loop
 			}
+			fallthrough
+		case svc.Stop:
+			stopMethod = ws.i.Stop
 			break loop
 		default:
-			continue loop
+			continue
 		}
 	}
 
-	return false, 0
+	// We were requested to stop,
+	// change state and proceed to do so.
+	changes <- svc.Status{State: svc.StopPending}
+	if stopErr := stopMethod(ws); stopErr != nil {
+		err = stopErr
+		exitCode = 2
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Calling function will set our state to Stopped.
+	return
 }
 
 func (ws *windowsService) Install() error {
@@ -308,19 +329,21 @@ func (ws *windowsService) Uninstall() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer m.Disconnect()
+
 	s, err := m.OpenService(ws.Name)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("service %s is not installed", ws.Name)
 	}
 	defer s.Close()
-	err = s.Delete()
-	if err != nil {
+
+	if err := s.Delete(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = eventlog.Remove(ws.Name)
-	if err != nil {
+
+	if err := eventlog.Remove(ws.Name); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("RemoveEventLogSource() failed: %s", err)
 	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -346,7 +369,7 @@ func (ws *windowsService) Run() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	sigChan := make(chan os.Signal)
+	sigChan := make(chan os.Signal, 1)
 
 	signal.Notify(sigChan, os.Interrupt)
 
@@ -408,26 +431,28 @@ func (ws *windowsService) Start() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer s.Close()
-	return s.Start()
-}
 
-func (ws *windowsService) Stop() error {
-	m, err := mgr.Connect()
+	status, err := s.Query()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	defer m.Disconnect()
 
-	s, err := m.OpenService(ws.Name)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	switch status.State {
+	default:
+		err = errAlreadyRunning
+	case svc.StopPending:
+		err = waitForStateChange(s, status, svc.Stopped)
+	case svc.Stopped:
+		if startErr := s.Start(); startErr != nil {
+			return startErr
+		}
+		err = waitForStateChange(s, status, svc.Running)
 	}
-	defer s.Close()
 
-	return ws.stopWait(s)
+	return err
 }
 
-func (ws *windowsService) Restart() error {
+func (ws *windowsService) Stop() error {
 	m, err := mgr.Connect()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -440,37 +465,104 @@ func (ws *windowsService) Restart() error {
 	}
 	defer s.Close()
 
-	err = ws.stopWait(s)
+	status, err := s.Query()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return s.Start()
-}
-
-func (ws *windowsService) stopWait(s *mgr.Service) error {
-	// First stop the service. Then wait for the service to
-	// actually stop before starting it.
-	status, err := s.Control(svc.Stop)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	switch status.State {
+	case svc.Stopped:
+		err = errAlreadyStopped
+	case svc.StopPending:
+		err = waitForStateChange(s, status, svc.Stopped)
+	default:
+		if _, stopErr := s.Control(svc.Stop); stopErr != nil {
+			return stopErr
+		}
+		err = waitForStateChange(s, status, svc.Stopped)
 	}
 
-	timeDuration := time.Millisecond * 50
-
-	timeout := time.After(getStopTimeout() + (timeDuration * 2))
-	tick := time.NewTicker(timeDuration)
-	defer tick.Stop()
+	return err
+}
 
-	for status.State != svc.Stopped {
+func (ws *windowsService) Restart() error {
+	if stopErr := ws.Stop(); stopErr != nil {
+		return stopErr
+	}
+	return ws.Start()
+}
+
+// statusInterval retreives a (bounded) duration from the status,
+// or provides a default.
+func statusInterval(status svc.Status) time.Duration {
+	// MSDN:
+	// "Do not wait longer than the wait hint. A good interval is
+	// one-tenth of the wait hint but not less than 1 second
+	// and not more than 10 seconds."
+	const (
+		lower = time.Second
+		upper = time.Second * 10
+	)
+
+	waitDuration := (time.Duration(status.WaitHint) * time.Millisecond) / 10
+	if waitDuration < lower {
+		waitDuration = lower
+	} else if waitDuration > upper {
+		waitDuration = upper
+	}
+	return waitDuration
+}
+
+// waitForStateChange polls the service until its state matches the desiredState,
+// and error is encountered, or we timeout.
+func waitForStateChange(s *mgr.Service, currentStatus svc.Status, desiredState svc.State) error {
+	const defaultAttempts = 10
+	var (
+		initialInterval = statusInterval(currentStatus)
+		queryTicker     = time.NewTicker(initialInterval)
+		queryTimer      *time.Timer
+	)
+	// If the service is providing hints,
+	// use them, otherwise use a default timeout.
+	if currentStatus.CheckPoint != 0 {
+		queryTimer = time.NewTimer(initialInterval)
+	} else {
+		queryTimer = time.NewTimer(initialInterval * defaultAttempts)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		queryTicker.Stop()
+		queryTimer.Stop()
+	}()
+
+	var (
+		currentState   = currentStatus.State
+		lastCheckpoint uint32
+	)
+	for currentState != desiredState {
 		select {
-		case <-tick.C:
-			status, err = s.Query()
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
+		case <-queryTicker.C:
+			currentStatus, queryErr := s.Query()
+			if queryErr != nil {
+				return queryErr
+			}
+
+			currentState = currentStatus.State
+			if currentState == desiredState {
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			if currentStatus.CheckPoint > lastCheckpoint {
+				// Service progressed,
+				// give it more time to complete.
+				if !queryTimer.Stop() {
+					<-queryTimer.C
+				}
+				queryTimer.Reset(statusInterval(currentStatus))
 			}
-		case <-timeout:
-			break
+			lastCheckpoint = currentStatus.CheckPoint
+		case <-queryTimer.C:
+			return fmt.Errorf("service did not enter desired state (%v) before we timed out",
+				desiredState)
 		}
 	}
 	return nil