diff --git a/Library/Litestep.cpp b/Library/Litestep.cpp
index 0d4ffdc0..d2131612 100644
--- a/Library/Litestep.cpp
+++ b/Library/Litestep.cpp
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ static CRITICAL_SECTION g_CsLogDelay = {0};
 
 void InitalizeLitestep()
 {
-	InitializeCriticalSection(&g_CsLog);
-	InitializeCriticalSection(&g_CsLogDelay);
+	CSystem::InitializeCriticalSection(&g_CsLog);
+	CSystem::InitializeCriticalSection(&g_CsLogDelay);
 }
 
 void FinalizeLitestep()
diff --git a/Library/System.cpp b/Library/System.cpp
index 40167146..9556ce70 100644
--- a/Library/System.cpp
+++ b/Library/System.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,6 @@ HWINEVENTHOOK CSystem::c_WinEventHook = NULL;
 
 bool CSystem::c_ShowDesktop = false;
 
-OSPLATFORM CSystem::c_Platform = OSPLATFORM_UNKNOWN;
-
 std::wstring CSystem::c_WorkingDirectory;
 
 std::vector<std::wstring> CSystem::c_IniFileMappings;
@@ -102,8 +100,6 @@ void CSystem::Initialize(HINSTANCE instance)
 	SetWindowPos(c_Window, HWND_BOTTOM, 0, 0, 0, 0, ZPOS_FLAGS);
 	SetWindowPos(c_HelperWindow, HWND_BOTTOM, 0, 0, 0, 0, ZPOS_FLAGS);
 
-	SetOSPlatform();
-
 	c_Monitors.monitors.reserve(4);
 	SetMultiMonitorInfo();
 
@@ -548,32 +544,34 @@ void CSystem::UpdateWorkareaInfo()
 ** Sets the OS platform.
 **
 */
-void CSystem::SetOSPlatform()
+OSPLATFORM CSystem::InitOSPlatform()
 {
 	OSVERSIONINFOEX osvi = {sizeof(OSVERSIONINFOEX)};
 	if (GetVersionEx((OSVERSIONINFO*)&osvi))
 	{
-		if (osvi.dwMajorVersion == 5)
+		switch (osvi.dwMajorVersion)
 		{
+		case 5:
 			// Not checking for osvi.dwMinorVersion >= 1 because Rainmeter won't run on pre-XP
-			c_Platform = OSPLATFORM_XP;
-		}
-		else if (osvi.dwMajorVersion == 6)
-		{
-			if (osvi.dwMinorVersion == 0)
+			return OSPLATFORM_XP;
+
+		case 6:
+			switch (osvi.dwMinorVersion)
 			{
-				c_Platform = OSPLATFORM_VISTA; // Vista, Server 2008
+			case 0:
+				return OSPLATFORM_VISTA; // Vista, Server 2008
+
+			case 1:
+				return OSPLATFORM_7; // 7, Server 2008R2
+
+			default:
+				return OSPLATFORM_8; // 8, Server 2012
 			}
-			else
-			{
-				c_Platform = OSPLATFORM_7; // 7, Server 2008R2
-			}
-		}
-		else // newer OS
-		{
-			c_Platform = OSPLATFORM_7;
+			break;
 		}
 	}
+
+	return OSPLATFORM_8;  // newer OS
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1119,6 +1117,28 @@ void CSystem::ResetWorkingDirectory()
 	}
 }
 
+/*
+** Initializes a critical section object by using InitializeCriticalSectionEx function with CRITICAL_SECTION_NO_DEBUG_INFO flag.
+** For more details: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/804848/critical-sections-leaking-memory-on-vista-win2008/
+**
+*/
+void CSystem::InitializeCriticalSection(LPCRITICAL_SECTION lpCriticalSection)
+{
+	typedef BOOL (WINAPI * FPINITCRITEX)(LPCRITICAL_SECTION lpCriticalSection, DWORD dwSpinCount, DWORD Flags);
+	static FPINITCRITEX InitializeCriticalSectionEx = (GetOSPlatform() >= OSPLATFORM_VISTA) ?
+		(FPINITCRITEX)GetProcAddress(GetModuleHandle(L"Kernel32"), "InitializeCriticalSectionEx") : nullptr;
+
+	if (InitializeCriticalSectionEx)
+	{
+		if (InitializeCriticalSectionEx(lpCriticalSection, 0, CRITICAL_SECTION_NO_DEBUG_INFO))
+		{
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
+	::InitializeCriticalSectionAndSpinCount(lpCriticalSection, 0);
+}
+
 /*
 ** Sets clipboard text to given string.
 **
diff --git a/Library/System.h b/Library/System.h
index f2783288..1dd14768 100644
--- a/Library/System.h
+++ b/Library/System.h
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@
 
 enum OSPLATFORM
 {
-	OSPLATFORM_UNKNOWN = 0,
 	OSPLATFORM_XP,
 	OSPLATFORM_VISTA,
-	OSPLATFORM_7
+	OSPLATFORM_7,
+	OSPLATFORM_8
 };
 
 struct MonitorInfo
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public:
 	static HWND GetHelperWindow() { return c_HelperWindow; }
 	static void PrepareHelperWindow(HWND WorkerW = GetWorkerW());
 
-	static OSPLATFORM GetOSPlatform() { return c_Platform; }
+	static OSPLATFORM GetOSPlatform() { static OSPLATFORM c_Platform = InitOSPlatform(); return c_Platform; }
 	static ULONGLONG GetTickCount64();
 	static POINT GetCursorPosition();
 
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ public:
 
 	static HMODULE RmLoadLibrary(LPCWSTR lpLibFileName, DWORD* dwError = NULL);
 	static void ResetWorkingDirectory();
+	static void InitializeCriticalSection(LPCRITICAL_SECTION lpCriticalSection);
 
 	static void SetClipboardText(const std::wstring& text);
 	static void SetWallpaper(const std::wstring& wallpaper, const std::wstring& style);
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ private:
 	static void ClearMultiMonitorInfo() { c_Monitors.monitors.clear(); }
 	static void UpdateWorkareaInfo();
 
-	static void SetOSPlatform();
+	static OSPLATFORM InitOSPlatform();
 
 	static HWND GetDefaultShellWindow();
 	static HWND GetWorkerW();
@@ -116,8 +117,6 @@ private:
 
 	static bool c_ShowDesktop;
 
-	static OSPLATFORM c_Platform;
-
 	static std::wstring c_WorkingDirectory;
 
 	static std::vector<std::wstring> c_IniFileMappings;