diff --git a/lib/webrat/core/session.rb b/lib/webrat/core/session.rb
index 2a9f5dd8..c1fec8ef 100644
--- a/lib/webrat/core/session.rb
+++ b/lib/webrat/core/session.rb
@@ -152,8 +152,13 @@ def visit(url = nil, http_method = :get, data = {})
     
     alias_method :visits, :visit
     
-    def open_in_browser(path) #:nodoc
-      `open #{path}`
+    def open_in_browser(path) # :nodoc
+      platform = ruby_platform
+      if platform =~ /cygwin/ || platform =~ /win32/
+        `rundll32 url.dll,FileProtocolHandler #{path.gsub("/", "\\\\")}`
+      elsif platform =~ /darwin/
+        `open #{path}`
+      end
     end
     
     def rewrite_css_and_image_references(response_html) #:nodoc
@@ -186,5 +191,11 @@ def page_scope #:nodoc:
     def_delegators :current_scope, :should_see
     def_delegators :current_scope, :should_not_see
     def_delegators :current_scope, :field_labeled
+    
+    private
+    # accessor for testing
+    def ruby_platform
+      RUBY_PLATFORM
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/webrat/core/session_spec.rb b/spec/webrat/core/session_spec.rb
index 25b2b903..a30a3c22 100644
--- a/spec/webrat/core/session_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/webrat/core/session_spec.rb
@@ -21,12 +21,27 @@ def session.response_body
     session.current_dom.should respond_to(:search)
   end
   
-  it "should open the page in the browser" do
+  it "should open the page in the browser in MacOSX" do
     session = Webrat::Session.new
+    session.should_receive(:ruby_platform).and_return 'darwin'
     session.should_receive(:`).with("open path")
     session.open_in_browser("path")
   end
   
+  it "should open the page in the browser in cygwin" do
+    session = Webrat::Session.new
+    session.should_receive(:ruby_platform).and_return 'i386-cygwin'
+    session.should_receive(:`).with("rundll32 url.dll,FileProtocolHandler path\\to\\file")
+    session.open_in_browser("path/to/file")
+  end
+  
+  it "should open the page in the browser in Win32" do
+    session = Webrat::Session.new
+    session.should_receive(:ruby_platform).and_return 'win32'
+    session.should_receive(:`).with("rundll32 url.dll,FileProtocolHandler path\\to\\file")
+    session.open_in_browser("path/to/file")
+  end
+  
   it "should provide a current_page for backwards compatibility" do
     session = Webrat::Session.new
     current_page = session.current_page