diff --git a/cibuildwheel/windows.py b/cibuildwheel/windows.py
index 16afdbbe..6450d9f6 100644
--- a/cibuildwheel/windows.py
+++ b/cibuildwheel/windows.py
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ IS_RUNNING_ON_TRAVIS = os.environ.get('TRAVIS_OS_NAME') == 'windows'
 
 def shell(args, env=None, cwd=None):
     print('+ ' + ' '.join(args))
-    args = ['cmd', '/E:ON', '/V:ON', '/C'] + args
-    return subprocess.check_call(' '.join(args), env=env, cwd=cwd)
+    return subprocess.check_call(' '.join(args), env=env, cwd=cwd, shell=True)
 
 
 def get_nuget_args(version, arch):
diff --git a/docs/options.md b/docs/options.md
index 4b4069ac..1ae87f04 100644
--- a/docs/options.md
+++ b/docs/options.md
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ You must set this variable to pass variables to Linux builds (since they execute
 
 You can use `$PATH` syntax to insert other variables, or the `$(pwd)` syntax to insert the output of other shell commands.
 
-To specify more than one environment variable, separate the assignments by spaces. 
+To specify more than one environment variable, separate the assignments by spaces.
 
 Platform-specific variants also available:<br/>
 `CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_MACOS` | `CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_WINDOWS` | `CIBW_ENVIRONMENT_LINUX`
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ If dependencies are required to build your wheel (for example if you include a h
 
 The active Python binary can be accessed using `python`, and pip with `pip`; `cibuildwheel` makes sure the right version of Python and pip will be executed. `{project}` can be used as a placeholder for the absolute path to the project's root and will be replaced by `cibuildwheel`.
 
-On Linux and macOS, the command is run in a shell, so you can write things like `cmd1 && cmd2`.
+The command is run in a shell, so you can write things like `cmd1 && cmd2`.
 
 Platform-specific variants also available:<br/>
  `CIBW_BEFORE_BUILD_MACOS` | `CIBW_BEFORE_BUILD_WINDOWS` | `CIBW_BEFORE_BUILD_LINUX`
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@ CIBW_BEFORE_BUILD: pip install pybind11
 
 # chain commands using &&
 CIBW_BEFORE_BUILD: yum install -y libffi-dev && pip install .
+
+# run a script that's inside your repo
+CIBW_BEFORE_BUILD: bash scripts/prepare_for_build.sh
 ```
 
 
@@ -229,7 +232,7 @@ The following placeholders must be used inside the command and will be replaced
 - `{wheel}` for the absolute path to the built wheel
 - `{dest_dir}` for the absolute path of the directory where to create the repaired wheel.
 
-On Linux and macOS, the command is run in a shell, so you can write things like `cmd1 && cmd2`.
+The command is run in a shell, so you can run multiple commands like `cmd1 && cmd2`.
 
 Platform-specific variants also available:<br/>
 `CIBW_REPAIR_WHEEL_COMMAND_MACOS` | `CIBW_REPAIR_WHEEL_COMMAND_WINDOWS` | `CIBW_REPAIR_WHEEL_COMMAND_LINUX`
@@ -285,7 +288,7 @@ CIBW_MANYLINUX_I686_IMAGE: dockcross/manylinux-x86
 
 Shell command to run tests after the build. The wheel will be installed automatically and available for import from the tests. `{project}` can be used as a placeholder for the absolute path to the project's root and will be replaced by `cibuildwheel`.
 
-On Linux and macOS, the command is run in a shell, so you can write things like `cmd1 && cmd2`.
+The command is run in a shell, so you can write things like `cmd1 && cmd2`.
 
 Platform-specific variants also available:<br/>
 `CIBW_TEST_COMMAND_MACOS` | `CIBW_TEST_COMMAND_WINDOWS` | `CIBW_TEST_COMMAND_LINUX`
diff --git a/test/02_test/cibuildwheel_test.py b/test/02_test/cibuildwheel_test.py
index ca084d65..21878d2c 100644
--- a/test/02_test/cibuildwheel_test.py
+++ b/test/02_test/cibuildwheel_test.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def test():
         # the 'false ||' bit is to ensure this command runs in a shell on
         # mac/linux.
         'CIBW_TEST_COMMAND': 'false || nosetests {project}/test',
-        'CIBW_TEST_COMMAND_WINDOWS': 'nosetests {project}/test',
+        'CIBW_TEST_COMMAND_WINDOWS': 'COLOR 00 || nosetests {project}/test',
     })
 
     # also check that we got the right wheels
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ def test_extras_require():
         # the 'false ||' bit is to ensure this command runs in a shell on
         # mac/linux.
         'CIBW_TEST_COMMAND': 'false || nosetests {project}/test',
-        'CIBW_TEST_COMMAND_WINDOWS': 'nosetests {project}/test',
+        'CIBW_TEST_COMMAND_WINDOWS': 'COLOR 00 || nosetests {project}/test',
     })
 
     # also check that we got the right wheels