diff --git a/ci/release/_build.sh b/ci/release/_build.sh
index 3f8b1663d..02c58f9db 100755
--- a/ci/release/_build.sh
+++ b/ci/release/_build.sh
@@ -4,19 +4,23 @@ cd -- "$(dirname "$0")/../.."
 . ./ci/sub/lib.sh
 
 sh_c mkdir -p "$HW_BUILD_DIR"
-sh_c rsync --recursive --perms --delete \
-  --human-readable --copy-links ./ci/release/template/ "$HW_BUILD_DIR/"
-VERSION=$VERSION sh_c eval "'$HW_BUILD_DIR/README.md.sh'" \> "'$HW_BUILD_DIR/README.md'"
-sh_c rm -f "$HW_BUILD_DIR/README.md.sh"
-sh_c find "$HW_BUILD_DIR" -exec touch {} \\\;
+sh_c cp ./ci/release/template/LICENSE.txt "$HW_BUILD_DIR"
+sh_c cp ./ci/release/template/Makefile "$HW_BUILD_DIR"
+sh_c cp -R ./ci/release/template/man "$HW_BUILD_DIR"
+sh_c cp -Rf ./ci/release/template/scripts "$HW_BUILD_DIR"
+sh_c VERSION="$VERSION" ./ci/release/template/README.md.sh \> "'$HW_BUILD_DIR/README.md'"
 
 ensure_goos
 ensure_goarch
 sh_c mkdir -p "$HW_BUILD_DIR/bin"
-sh_c CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -trimpath \
+sh_c GOOS="$GOOS" GOARCH="$GOARCH" CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -trimpath \
   -ldflags "'-X oss.terrastruct.com/d2/lib/version.Version=$VERSION'" \
   -o "$HW_BUILD_DIR/bin/d2" .
 
+if [ "$GOOS" = windows ]; then
+  sh_c mv "$HW_BUILD_DIR/bin/d2" "$HW_BUILD_DIR/bin/d2.exe"
+fi
+
 ARCHIVE=$PWD/$ARCHIVE
 cd "$(dirname "$HW_BUILD_DIR")"
 sh_c tar -czf "$ARCHIVE" "$(basename "$HW_BUILD_DIR")"
diff --git a/ci/release/changelogs/next.md b/ci/release/changelogs/next.md
index 84d6618aa..3fadfa006 100644
--- a/ci/release/changelogs/next.md
+++ b/ci/release/changelogs/next.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 #### Improvements 🧹
 
+- The Windows release binary is now suffixed correctly with `.exe` [#388](https://github.com/terrastruct/d2/issues/388)
+
 #### Bugfixes ⛑️
 
-- Fixed sequence diagram span size for self-edges [#397](https://github.com/terrastruct/d2/pull/397)
\ No newline at end of file
+- Fixed sequence diagram span size for self-edges [#397](https://github.com/terrastruct/d2/pull/397)
diff --git a/ci/release/template/README.md.sh b/ci/release/template/README.md.sh
index 2c0cdfb35..d52d96716 100755
--- a/ci/release/template/README.md.sh
+++ b/ci/release/template/README.md.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 set -eu
+cd -- "$(dirname "$0")/../../.."
+. ./ci/sub/lib.sh
 
 cat <<EOF
 # d2
@@ -7,6 +9,42 @@ cat <<EOF
 For docs, more installation options and the source code see https://oss.terrastruct.com/d2
 
 version: $VERSION
+os: $OS
+arch: $ARCH
+
+Built with $(go version | grep -o 'go[^ ]\+').
+EOF
+
+ensure_os
+if [ "$OS" = windows ]; then
+  cat <<EOF
+
+We currently do not have an \`.msi\` for automatic installation on Windows so this release
+is structured the same as our Unix releases.
+
+Easiest way to use d2 on Windows is to just \`chdir\` into the bin directory of this release
+and invoke d2 like \`./d2 <full-input-file-path>\`
+
+For installation you'll have to add the \`./bin/d2.exe\` binary to your \`\$PATH\`. Or add
+the \`./bin\` directory of this release to your \`\$PATH\`.
+
+See https://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-PATH-Environment-Variable-on-Windows
+
+Then you'll be able to call \`d2\` from the commandline in \`cmd.exe\` or \`pwsh.exe\`.
+
+We intend to have a \`.msi\` release installer sometime soon that handles putting \`d2\` into
+your \`\$PATH\` for you.
+
+You can also use \`make install\` to install on Windows after first installing
+[MSYS2](https://www.msys2.org/) which emulates a Linux shell for Windows. Its terminal
+also enables d2 to show colors in its output. The manpage will also become accessible
+with \`man d2\`.
+
+See https://github.com/terrastruct/d2/blob/master/docs/INSTALL.md#windows
+EOF
+fi
+
+cat <<EOF
 
 ## Install
 
diff --git a/docs/INSTALL.md b/docs/INSTALL.md
index f5ee0cd86..108cdc523 100644
--- a/docs/INSTALL.md
+++ b/docs/INSTALL.md
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ go install oss.terrastruct.com/d2@latest
 
 ### Source Release
 
-To install a proper release from source clone the repository and then:
+To install a release from source clone the repository and then:
 
 ```sh
 ./ci/release/build.sh --install
@@ -148,17 +148,22 @@ To install a proper release from source clone the repository and then:
 ```
 
 Installing a real release will also install manpages and in the future other assets like
-fonts and icons. Furthermore, when installing a non versioned commit, installing a proper
-release will ensure that `d2 --version` works correctly by embedding the commit hash into
-the `d2` binary.
+fonts and icons. Furthermore, when installing a non versioned commit, installing a release
+will ensure that `d2 --version` works correctly by embedding the commit hash into the `d2`
+binary.
 
 ## Windows
 
 d2 builds and runs on Windows:
 
 We have prebuilt standalone releases for Windows though they're structured in the same way
-as our Unix releases. So after extracting a release, you'll have to manually put the d2
-binary into your `$PATH` or add the `bin` directory of the release into your `$PATH`.
+as our Unix releases.
+
+Easiest way to use d2 on Windows is to just `chdir` into the bin directory of the release
+and invoke d2 like `./d2 <full-input-file-path>`
+
+For installation, you'll have to put the `bin/d2.exe` binary into your `$PATH` or add the
+`bin` directory of the release into your `$PATH`.
 
 See https://www.wikihow.com/Change-the-PATH-Environment-Variable-on-Windows
 
@@ -176,7 +181,7 @@ Bash](https://gitforwindows.org/#bash) (Git Bash is based on MSYS2) for an impro
 terminal experience.
 
 MSYS2 provides a unix style shell environment that is native to Windows (unlike
-[Cygwin](https://www.cygwin.com/)). MSYS2 allows `install.sh` to work, enables proper
+[Cygwin](https://www.cygwin.com/)). MSYS2 allows `install.sh` to work, enables automatic
 installation of our standalone releases via `make install` and makes the manpage
 accessible via `man d2`.