diff --git a/.github/workflows/create.yml b/.github/workflows/create.yml
index 6176e36..5becc33 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/create.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/create.yml
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ jobs:
 
         # exclude problematic combinations
         exclude:
-        - os: windows-latest
-          python: '3.8'
         - os: windows-latest
           python: '2.7'
         - os: macOs-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/push.yml b/.github/workflows/push.yml
index 0306ef8..39bf140 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/push.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/push.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         python:
            - '2.7'
-           # - '3.6'
+           - '3.6'
            - '3.7'
            - '3.8'
         java:
@@ -26,8 +26,6 @@ jobs:
 
         # exclude problematic combinations
         exclude:
-        - os: windows-latest
-          python: '3.8'
         - os: windows-latest
           python: '2.7'
         - os: macOs-latest
diff --git a/jnius/__init__.py b/jnius/__init__.py
index 154868b..a00e309 100644
--- a/jnius/__init__.py
+++ b/jnius/__init__.py
@@ -9,9 +9,38 @@ All the documentation is available at: http://pyjnius.readthedocs.org
 
 __version__ = '1.2.1.dev3'
 
-from .env import get_jnius_lib_location
-from .jnius import *  # noqa
-from .reflect import *  # noqa
+from .env import get_jnius_lib_location, get_jdk_home
+
+import os
+import sys
+if sys.platform == 'win32' and sys.version_info >= (3, 8):
+    path = os.path.dirname(__file__)
+    jdk_home = get_jdk_home(sys.platform)
+    with os.add_dll_directory(path):
+        for suffix in (
+            ('bin', 'client'),
+            ('bin', 'server'),
+            ('jre', 'bin', 'client'),
+            ('jre', 'bin', 'server'),
+        ):
+            path = os.path.join(jdk_home, *suffix)
+            if not os.path.isdir(path):
+                continue
+
+            with os.add_dll_directory(path):
+                try:
+                    from .jnius import *  # noqa
+                    from .reflect import *  # noqa
+                except Exception as e:
+                    pass
+                else:
+                    break
+        else:
+            raise Exception("Unable to create jni env, no jvm dll found.")
+else:
+    from .jnius import *  # noqa
+    from .reflect import *  # noqa
+
 from six import with_metaclass
 
 # XXX monkey patch methods that cannot be in cython.
diff --git a/jnius/env.py b/jnius/env.py
index f9e7d18..824ee8d 100644
--- a/jnius/env.py
+++ b/jnius/env.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from platform import machine
 from subprocess import Popen, check_output, PIPE
 from shlex import split
 
+
 PY2 = sys.version_info.major < 3
 
 machine = machine()  # not expected to change at runtime
@@ -140,6 +141,7 @@ def get_jdk_home(platform):
 
     return jdk_home
 
+
 def get_osx_framework():
     framework = Popen(
         '/usr/libexec/java_home',
diff --git a/jnius/jnius_jvm_desktop.pxi b/jnius/jnius_jvm_desktop.pxi
index 717db80..1979a8b 100644
--- a/jnius/jnius_jvm_desktop.pxi
+++ b/jnius/jnius_jvm_desktop.pxi
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+import sys
+import os
+from os.path import join
+from jnius.env import get_jdk_home
 from cpython.version cimport PY_MAJOR_VERSION
 
 # on desktop, we need to create an env :)
@@ -43,7 +47,31 @@ cdef void create_jnienv() except *:
     args.nOptions = len(optarr)
     args.ignoreUnrecognized = JNI_FALSE
 
-    ret = JNI_CreateJavaVM(&jvm, <void **>&_platform_default_env, &args)
+    if sys.version_info >= (3, 8):
+        # uh, let's see if this works and cleanup later
+        jdk_home = get_jdk_home('win32')
+        for suffix in (
+            ('bin', 'client'),
+            ('bin', 'server'),
+            ('jre', 'bin', 'client'),
+            ('jre', 'bin', 'server'),
+        ):
+            path = join(jdk_home, *suffix)
+            if not os.path.isdir(path):
+                continue
+            with os.add_dll_directory(path):
+                try:
+                    ret = JNI_CreateJavaVM(&jvm, <void **>&_platform_default_env, &args)
+                except Exception as e:
+                    pass
+                else:
+                    break
+        else:
+            raise Exception("Unable to create jni env, no jvm dll found.")
+
+    else:
+        ret = JNI_CreateJavaVM(&jvm, <void **>&_platform_default_env, &args)
+
     free(options)
 
     if ret != JNI_OK:
diff --git a/jnius/jnius_jvm_dlopen.pxi b/jnius/jnius_jvm_dlopen.pxi
index f6e4f86..34c6be4 100644
--- a/jnius/jnius_jvm_dlopen.pxi
+++ b/jnius/jnius_jvm_dlopen.pxi
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ include "config.pxi"
 import os
 from shlex import split
 from subprocess import check_output
-from os.path import dirname
+from os.path import dirname, join
 from os import readlink
 from sys import platform
 from .env import get_jnius_lib_location
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ cdef void create_jnienv() except *:
     cdef JavaVMOption *options
     cdef int ret
     cdef bytes py_bytes
+    cdef void *handle
     import jnius_config
 
     JAVA_HOME = os.getenv('JAVA_HOME') or find_java_home()
@@ -80,7 +81,8 @@ cdef void create_jnienv() except *:
     ELSE:
         lib_path = str_for_c(os.path.join(JAVA_HOME, JNIUS_LIB_SUFFIX))
 
-    cdef void *handle = dlopen(lib_path, RTLD_NOW | RTLD_GLOBAL)
+    handle = dlopen(lib_path, RTLD_NOW | RTLD_GLOBAL)
+
     if handle == NULL:
         raise SystemError("Error calling dlopen({0}: {1}".format(lib_path, dlerror()))