diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/implementation.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/implementation.py
index 23de156f74..7f8c3ffe36 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/implementation.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/implementation.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from calibre.constants import iswindows, ismacos
 
 if iswindows:
-    pass
+    from .windows import Client
 elif ismacos:
     pass
 else:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/windows.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/windows.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..73310a49dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/windows.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8
+# License: GPL v3 Copyright: 2020, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>
+
+
+class Client:
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        from calibre.utils.windows.winsapi import ISpVoice
+        self.sp_voice = ISpVoice()
+
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.sp_voice = None
+
+    def speak_simple_text(self, text):
+        from calibre_extensions.winsapi import SPF_ASYNC, SPF_PURGEBEFORESPEAK, SPF_IS_NOT_XML
+        self.sp_voice.speak(text, SPF_ASYNC | SPF_PURGEBEFORESPEAK | SPF_IS_NOT_XML)