diff --git a/Lib/platform.py b/Lib/platform.py
index 1ab9c99b453..db08eab295d 100755
--- a/Lib/platform.py
+++ b/Lib/platform.py
@@ -595,8 +595,13 @@ def win32_ver(release='',version='',csd='',ptype=''):
                     release = '7'
                 else:
                     release = '2008ServerR2'
+            elif min == 2:
+                if product_type == VER_NT_WORKSTATION:
+                    release = '8'
+                else:
+                    release = '2012Server'
             else:
-                release = 'post2008Server'
+                release = 'post2012Server'
 
     else:
         if not release:
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 63c62b9d24c..86bdf401e14 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ Core and Builtins
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #16176: Properly identify Windows 8 via platform.platform()
+
 - Issue #16088: BaseHTTPRequestHandler's send_error method includes a
   Content-Length header in it's response now. Patch by Antoine Pitrou.