diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/async_status.ps1 b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/async_status.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..efde748fb97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/async_status.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+#!powershell
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+# WANT_JSON
+# POWERSHELL_COMMON
+
+$results = @{changed=$false}
+
+$parsed_args = Parse-Args $args
+$jid = Get-AnsibleParam $parsed_args "jid" -failifempty $true -resultobj $results
+$mode = Get-AnsibleParam $parsed_args "mode" -Default "status" -ValidateSet "status","cleanup"
+
+# setup logging directory
+$log_path = [System.IO.Path]::Combine($env:LOCALAPPDATA, ".ansible_async", $jid)
+
+If(-not $(Test-Path $log_path))
+{
+    Fail-Json @{ansible_job_id=$jid; started=1; finished=1} "could not find job"
+}
+
+If($mode -eq "cleanup") {
+    Remove-Item $log_path -Recurse
+    Exit-Json @{ansible_job_id=$jid; erased=$log_path}
+}
+
+# NOT in cleanup mode, assume regular status mode
+# no remote kill mode currently exists, but probably should
+# consider log_path + ".pid" file and also unlink that above
+
+$data = $null
+Try {
+    $data_raw = Get-Content $log_path
+
+    # TODO: move this into module_utils/powershell.ps1?
+    $jss = New-Object System.Web.Script.Serialization.JavaScriptSerializer
+    $data = $jss.DeserializeObject($data_raw)
+}
+Catch {
+    If(-not $data_raw) {
+        # file not written yet?  That means it is running
+        Exit-Json @{results_file=$log_path; ansible_job_id=$jid; started=1; finished=0}
+    }
+    Else {
+        Fail-Json @{ansible_job_id=$jid; results_file=$log_path; started=1; finished=1} "Could not parse job output: $data"
+    }
+}
+
+If (-not $data.ContainsKey("started")) {
+    $data['finished'] = 1
+    $data['ansible_job_id'] = $jid
+}
+ElseIf (-not $data.ContainsKey("finished")) {
+    $data['finished'] = 0
+}
+
+Exit-Json $data
diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/windows/async_wrapper.ps1 b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/async_wrapper.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..03ba5d72e91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/windows/async_wrapper.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,358 @@
+#!powershell
+# This file is part of Ansible
+#
+# Copyright (c)2016, Matt Davis
+#
+# Ansible is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# Ansible is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with Ansible.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+Param(
+    [string]$jid,
+    [int]$max_exec_time_sec,
+    [string]$module_path,
+    [string]$argfile_path,
+    [switch]$preserve_tmp
+)
+
+# WANT_JSON
+# POWERSHELL_COMMON
+
+Set-StrictMode -Version 2
+$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+
+Function Start-Watchdog {
+    Param(
+        [string]$module_tempdir,
+        [string]$module_path,
+        [int]$max_exec_time_sec,
+        [string]$resultfile_path,
+        [string]$argfile_path,
+        [switch]$preserve_tmp,
+        [switch]$start_suspended
+    )
+
+    $native_process_util = @"
+        using Microsoft.Win32.SafeHandles;
+        using System;
+        using System.ComponentModel;
+        using System.Diagnostics;
+        using System.Linq;
+        using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+
+        namespace Ansible.Async {
+
+            public static class NativeProcessUtil
+            {
+                [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
+                static extern SafeFileHandle OpenThread(
+                    ThreadAccessRights dwDesiredAccess,
+                    bool bInheritHandle,
+                    int dwThreadId);
+
+                [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
+                static extern int ResumeThread(SafeHandle hThread);
+
+                [Flags]
+                enum ThreadAccessRights : uint
+                {
+                    SUSPEND_RESUME = 0x0002
+                }
+
+                public static void ResumeThreadById(int threadId)
+                {
+                    var threadHandle = OpenThread(ThreadAccessRights.SUSPEND_RESUME, false, threadId);
+                    if(threadHandle.IsInvalid)
+                        throw new Exception(String.Format("Thread ID {0} is invalid ({1})", threadId, new Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error()).Message));
+
+                    try
+                    {
+                        if(ResumeThread(threadHandle) == -1)
+                            throw new Exception(String.Format("Thread ID {0} cannot be resumed ({1})", threadId, new Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error()).Message));
+                    }
+                    finally
+                    {
+                        threadHandle.Dispose();
+                    }
+                }
+
+                public static void ResumeProcessById(int pid)
+                {
+                    var proc = Process.GetProcessById(pid);
+
+                    foreach(var thread in proc.Threads.OfType<ProcessThread>().Where(t => t.WaitReason == ThreadWaitReason.Suspended))
+                        ResumeThreadById(thread.Id);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+"@
+
+    Add-Type -TypeDefinition $native_process_util
+
+    $watchdog_script = {
+        Set-StrictMode -Version 2
+        $ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"
+
+        Function Log {
+            Param(
+                [string]$msg
+            )
+
+            If(Get-Variable -Name log_path -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
+                Add-Content $log_path $msg
+            }
+        }
+
+        Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Web.Extensions
+
+        # -EncodedCommand won't allow us to pass args, so they have to be templated into the script
+        $jsonargs = @"
+        <<JSONARGS>>
+"@
+        Function Deserialize-Json {
+            Param(
+                [Parameter(ValueFromPipeline=$true)]
+                [string]$json
+            )
+
+            # FUTURE: move this into module_utils/powershell.ps1 and use for everything (sidestep PSCustomObject issues)
+            # FUTURE: won't work w/ Nano Server/.NET Core- fallback to DataContractJsonSerializer (which can't handle dicts on .NET 4.0)
+
+            Log "Deserializing:`n$json"
+
+            $jss = New-Object System.Web.Script.Serialization.JavaScriptSerializer
+            return $jss.DeserializeObject($json)
+        }
+
+        Function Write-Result {
+            [hashtable]$result,
+            [string]$resultfile_path
+
+            $result | ConvertTo-Json | Set-Content -Path $resultfile_path
+        }
+
+        Function Exec-Module {
+            Param(
+                [string]$module_tempdir,
+                [string]$module_path,
+                [int]$max_exec_time_sec,
+                [string]$resultfile_path,
+                [string]$argfile_path,
+                [switch]$preserve_tmp
+            )
+
+            Log "in watchdog exec"
+
+            Try
+            {
+                Log "deserializing existing resultfile args"
+                # read in existing resultsfile to merge w/ module output (it should be written by the time we're unsuspended and running)
+                $result = Get-Content $resultfile_path -Raw | Deserialize-Json
+
+                Log "deserialized result is $($result | Out-String)"
+
+                Log "creating runspace"
+
+                $rs = [runspacefactory]::CreateRunspace()
+                $rs.Open()
+                $rs.SessionStateProxy.Path.SetLocation($module_tempdir) | Out-Null
+
+                Log "creating Powershell object"
+
+                $job = [powershell]::Create()
+                $job.Runspace = $rs
+
+                Log "adding scripts"
+
+                if($module_path.EndsWith(".ps1")) {
+                    $job.AddScript($module_path) | Out-Null
+                }
+                else {
+                    $job.AddCommand($module_path) | Out-Null
+                    $job.AddArgument($argfile_path) | Out-Null
+                }
+
+                Log "job BeginInvoke()"
+
+                $job_asyncresult = $job.BeginInvoke()
+
+                Log "waiting $max_exec_time_sec seconds for job to complete"
+
+                $signaled = $job_asyncresult.AsyncWaitHandle.WaitOne($max_exec_time_sec * 1000)
+
+                $result["finished"] = 1
+
+                If($job_asyncresult.IsCompleted) {
+                    Log "job completed, calling EndInvoke()"
+
+                    $job_output = $job.EndInvoke($job_asyncresult)
+                    $job_error = $job.Streams.Error
+
+                    Log "raw module stdout: \r\n$job_output"
+                    If($job_error) {
+                        Log "raw module stderr: \r\n$job_error"
+                    }
+
+                    # write success/output/error to result object
+
+                    # TODO: cleanse leading/trailing junk
+                    Try {
+                        $module_result = Deserialize-Json $job_output
+                        # TODO: check for conflicting keys
+                        $result = $result + $module_result
+                    }
+                    Catch {
+                        $excep = $_
+
+                        $result.failed = $true
+                        $result.msg = "failed to parse module output: $excep"
+                    }
+
+                    # TODO: determine success/fail, or always include stderr if nonempty?
+                    Write-Result $result $resultfile_path
+
+                    Log "wrote output to $resultfile_path"
+                }
+                Else {
+                    $job.Stop()
+                    # write timeout to result object
+                    $result.failed = $true
+                    $result.msg = "timed out waiting for module completion"
+                    Write-Result $result $resultfile_path
+
+                    Log "wrote timeout to $resultfile_path"
+                }
+
+                $rs.Close() | Out-Null
+            }
+            Catch {
+                $excep = $_
+
+                $result = @{failed=$true; msg="module execution failed: $($excep.ToString())`n$($excep.InvocationInfo.PositionMessage)"}
+
+                Write-Result $result $resultfile_path
+            }
+            Finally
+            {
+                If(-not $preserve_tmp -and $module_tempdir -imatch "-tmp-") {
+                    Try {
+                        Log "deleting tempdir, cwd is $(Get-Location)"
+                        Set-Location $env:USERPROFILE
+                        $res = Remove-Item $module_tempdir -recurse 2>&1
+                        Log "delete output was $res"
+                    }
+                    Catch {
+                        $excep = $_
+                        Log "error deleting tempdir: $excep"
+                    }
+                }
+                Else {
+                    Log "skipping tempdir deletion"
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        Try {
+            Log "deserializing args"
+
+            # deserialize the JSON args that should've been templated in before execution
+            $ext_args = Deserialize-Json $jsonargs
+
+            Log "exec module"
+
+            Exec-Module @ext_args
+
+            Log "exec done"
+        }
+        Catch {
+            $excep = $_
+
+            Log $excep
+        }
+    }
+
+    $bp = [hashtable] $MyInvocation.BoundParameters
+    # convert switch types to bool so they'll serialize as simple bools
+    $bp["preserve_tmp"] = [bool]$bp["preserve_tmp"]
+    $bp["start_suspended"] = [bool]$bp["start_suspended"]
+
+    # serialize this function's args to JSON so we can template them verbatim into the script(block)
+    $jsonargs =  $bp | ConvertTo-Json
+
+    $raw_script = $watchdog_script.ToString()
+    $raw_script = $raw_script.Replace("<<JSONARGS>>", $jsonargs)
+
+    $encoded_command = [Convert]::ToBase64String([System.Text.Encoding]::Unicode.GetBytes($raw_script))
+
+    $exec_path = "powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -EncodedCommand $encoded_command"
+
+    # FUTURE: create under new job to ensure we kill all children on exit?
+
+    # start process suspended + breakaway so we can record the watchdog pid without worrying about a completion race
+    Set-Variable CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB -Value ([uint32]0x01000000) -Option Constant
+    Set-Variable CREATE_SUSPENDED -Value ([uint32]0x00000004) -Option Constant
+
+    $pstartup_flags = $CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB
+    If($start_suspended) {
+        $pstartup_flags = $pstartup_flags -bor $CREATE_SUSPENDED
+    }
+
+    $pstartup = ([wmiclass]"Win32_ProcessStartup")
+    $pstartup.Properties['CreateFlags'].Value = $pstartup_flags
+
+    # execute the dynamic watchdog as a breakway process, which will in turn exec the module
+    # FUTURE: use CreateProcess + stream redirection to watch for/return quick watchdog failures?
+    $result = $([wmiclass]"Win32_Process").Create($exec_path, $null, $pstartup)
+
+    $watchdog_pid = $result.ProcessId
+
+    return $watchdog_pid
+}
+
+$local_jid = $jid + "." + $pid
+
+$results_path = [System.IO.Path]::Combine($env:LOCALAPPDATA, ".ansible_async", $local_jid)
+
+[System.IO.Directory]::CreateDirectory([System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($results_path)) | Out-Null
+
+$watchdog_args = @{
+        module_tempdir=$([System.IO.Path]::GetDirectoryName($module_path));
+        module_path=$module_path;
+        max_exec_time_sec=$max_exec_time_sec;
+        resultfile_path=$results_path;
+        argfile_path=$argfile_path;
+        start_suspended=$true;
+}
+
+If($preserve_tmp) {
+    $watchdog_args["preserve_tmp"] = $true
+}
+
+# start watchdog/module-exec
+$watchdog_pid = Start-Watchdog @watchdog_args
+
+# populate initial results before we resume the process to avoid result race
+$result = @{
+    started=1;
+    finished=0;
+    results_file=$results_path;
+    ansible_job_id=$local_jid;
+    _suppress_tmpdir_delete=$true;
+    ansible_async_watchdog_pid=$watchdog_pid
+}
+
+$result_json = ConvertTo-Json $result
+Set-Content $results_path -Value $result_json
+
+[Ansible.Async.NativeProcessUtil]::ResumeProcessById($watchdog_pid)
+
+return $result_json