diff --git a/common/paths.cpp b/common/paths.cpp
index 69e4ec4611..9f3aa7aeb9 100644
--- a/common/paths.cpp
+++ b/common/paths.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ wxString PATHS::GetStockDataPath( bool aRespectRunFromBuildDir )
         fn.RemoveLastDir();
         path = fn.GetPath();
 #else
-        path = Pgm().GetExecutablePath() + wxT( ".." );
+        path = getWindowsKiCadRoot();
 #endif
     }
     else
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ wxString PATHS::GetStockDataPath( bool aRespectRunFromBuildDir )
 #if defined( __WXMAC__ )
         path = GetOSXKicadDataDir();
 #elif defined( __WXMSW__ )
-        path = Pgm().GetExecutablePath() + wxT( "../share/kicad" );
+        path = getWindowsKiCadRoot() + wxT( "share/kicad" );
 #else
         path = wxString::FromUTF8Unchecked( KICAD_DATA );
 #endif
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ wxString PATHS::GetDocumentationPath()
 #if defined( __WXMAC__ )
     path = GetOSXKicadDataDir();
 #elif defined( __WXMSW__ )
-    path = Pgm().GetExecutablePath() + "../share/doc/kicad";
+    path = getWindowsKiCadRoot() + "share/doc/kicad";
 #else
     path = wxString::FromUTF8Unchecked( KICAD_DOCS );
 #endif
@@ -345,3 +345,14 @@ wxString PATHS::GetOSXKicadDataDir()
     return ddir.GetPath();
 }
 #endif
+
+
+#ifdef __WXWINDOWS__
+wxString PATHS::getWindowsKiCadRoot()
+{
+    wxFileName root(Pgm().GetExecutablePath() + "/../");
+    root.MakeAbsolute();
+
+    return root.GetPathWithSep();
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/include/paths.h b/include/paths.h
index 0b1560ff7e..8f67d17318 100644
--- a/include/paths.h
+++ b/include/paths.h
@@ -145,6 +145,15 @@ private:
      * @param aPath Variable to receive the path
      */
     static void getUserDocumentPath( wxFileName& aPath );
+
+#ifdef __WXWINDOWS__
+    /**
+     * Gets the root of the kicad install on Windows specifically.
+     * KiCad on Windows has a psuedo posix folder structure contained in it's installed folder
+     * This retrieves that root for usage in other methods
+     */
+    static wxString getWindowsKiCadRoot();
+#endif
 };
 
 #endif