diff --git a/cpus.c b/cpus.c
index 7559a02..077729c 100644
--- a/cpus.c
+++ b/cpus.c
@@ -854,13 +854,32 @@
     return NULL;
 }
 
+static void qemu_cpu_kick_thread(CPUState *env)
+{
+#ifndef _WIN32
+    int err;
+
+    err = pthread_kill(env->thread->thread, SIG_IPI);
+    if (err) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "qemu:%s: %s", __func__, strerror(err));
+        exit(1);
+    }
+#else /* _WIN32 */
+    if (!qemu_cpu_is_self(env)) {
+        SuspendThread(env->thread->thread);
+        cpu_signal(0);
+        ResumeThread(env->thread->thread);
+    }
+#endif
+}
+
 void qemu_cpu_kick(void *_env)
 {
     CPUState *env = _env;
 
     qemu_cond_broadcast(env->halt_cond);
     if (!env->thread_kicked) {
-        qemu_thread_signal(env->thread, SIG_IPI);
+        qemu_cpu_kick_thread(env);
         env->thread_kicked = true;
     }
 }
@@ -871,7 +890,7 @@
     assert(cpu_single_env);
 
     if (!cpu_single_env->thread_kicked) {
-        qemu_thread_signal(cpu_single_env->thread, SIG_IPI);
+        qemu_cpu_kick_thread(cpu_single_env);
         cpu_single_env->thread_kicked = true;
     }
 #else
@@ -893,7 +912,7 @@
     } else {
         qemu_mutex_lock(&qemu_fair_mutex);
         if (qemu_mutex_trylock(&qemu_global_mutex)) {
-            qemu_thread_signal(tcg_cpu_thread, SIG_IPI);
+            qemu_cpu_kick_thread(first_cpu);
             qemu_mutex_lock(&qemu_global_mutex);
         }
         qemu_mutex_unlock(&qemu_fair_mutex);
diff --git a/qemu-thread-posix.c b/qemu-thread-posix.c
index 8b54cc0..87c1a9f 100644
--- a/qemu-thread-posix.c
+++ b/qemu-thread-posix.c
@@ -171,15 +171,6 @@
     pthread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK, &oldset, NULL);
 }
 
-void qemu_thread_signal(QemuThread *thread, int sig)
-{
-    int err;
-
-    err = pthread_kill(thread->thread, sig);
-    if (err)
-        error_exit(err, __func__);
-}
-
 void qemu_thread_get_self(QemuThread *thread)
 {
     thread->thread = pthread_self();
diff --git a/qemu-thread-posix.h b/qemu-thread-posix.h
index 7af371c..ee4618e 100644
--- a/qemu-thread-posix.h
+++ b/qemu-thread-posix.h
@@ -14,5 +14,4 @@
     pthread_t thread;
 };
 
-void qemu_thread_signal(QemuThread *thread, int sig);
 #endif