diff --git a/Doc/tools/templates/layout.html b/Doc/tools/templates/layout.html
index 8923d9a09dc..5c180e7d016 100644
--- a/Doc/tools/templates/layout.html
+++ b/Doc/tools/templates/layout.html
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 {% endblock %}
 {%- macro searchbox() %}
 {# modified from sphinx/themes/basic/searchbox.html #}
+    {%- if builder != "htmlhelp" %}
     <div class="inline-search" style="display: none" role="search">
         <form class="inline-search" action="{{ pathto('search') }}" method="get">
           <input placeholder="{{ _('Quick search') }}" type="text" name="q" />
@@ -23,11 +24,12 @@
         </form>
     </div>
     <script type="text/javascript">$('.inline-search').show(0);</script>
+    {%- endif %}
 {%- endmacro %}
 {% block relbar1 %} {% if builder != 'qthelp' %} {{ relbar() }} {% endif %} {% endblock %}
 {% block relbar2 %} {% if builder != 'qthelp' %} {{ relbar() }} {% endif %} {% endblock %}
 {% block relbaritems %}
-    {%- if pagename != "search" and builder != "singlehtml" %}
+    {%- if pagename != "search" and builder != "singlehtml" and builder != "htmlhelp" %}
     <li class="right">
         {{ searchbox() }}
         {{ reldelim2 }}
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@
 {% endblock %}
 {% block extrahead %}
     <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/png" href="{{ pathto('_static/py.png', 1) }}" />
+    {% if builder != "htmlhelp" %}
     {% if not embedded %}<script type="text/javascript" src="{{ pathto('_static/copybutton.js', 1) }}"></script>{% endif %}
     {% if versionswitcher is defined and not embedded %}<script type="text/javascript" src="{{ pathto('_static/version_switch.js', 1) }}"></script>{% endif %}
     {% if pagename == 'whatsnew/changelog' and not embedded %}
@@ -95,6 +98,7 @@
       });
     </script>
     {% endif %}
+    {% endif %}
 {{ super() }}
 {% endblock %}
 {% block footer %}
diff --git a/Doc/whatsnew/3.5.rst b/Doc/whatsnew/3.5.rst
index 9b71f6677a1..2ef4e915b6d 100644
--- a/Doc/whatsnew/3.5.rst
+++ b/Doc/whatsnew/3.5.rst
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@
 
 This article explains the new features in Python 3.5, compared to 3.4.
 Python 3.5 was released on September 13, 2015.  See the
-`changelog <https://docs.python.org/3.5/whatsnew/changelog.html>`_ for a full
-list of changes.
+:ref:`changelog <changelog>` for a full list of changes.
 
 .. seealso::
 
diff --git a/Doc/whatsnew/changelog.rst b/Doc/whatsnew/changelog.rst
index 07f90948bd0..67a12f3374f 100644
--- a/Doc/whatsnew/changelog.rst
+++ b/Doc/whatsnew/changelog.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+.. _changelog:
+
 +++++++++
 Changelog
 +++++++++
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 9c00ee55203..cf97628edf1 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -362,6 +362,8 @@ Tools/Demos
 Windows
 -------
 
+- Issue #28251: Improvements to help manuals on Windows.
+
 - Issue #28110: launcher.msi has different product codes between 32-bit and
   64-bit
 
diff --git a/PCbuild/python.vcxproj b/PCbuild/python.vcxproj
index 60116df271d..807213f12a7 100644
--- a/PCbuild/python.vcxproj
+++ b/PCbuild/python.vcxproj
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@
       <UcrtName>ucrtbase</UcrtName>
       <UcrtName Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'">ucrtbased</UcrtName>
     </PropertyGroup>
-    <Exec Command='"$(OutDir)python$(PyDebugExt).exe" "$(PySourcePath)PC\validate_ucrtbase.py" $(UcrtName)' ContinueOnError="true" />
+    <Exec Command='setlocal
+set PYTHONPATH=$(PySourcePath)Lib
+"$(OutDir)python$(PyDebugExt).exe" "$(PySourcePath)PC\validate_ucrtbase.py" $(UcrtName)' ContinueOnError="true" />
   </Target>
   <Target Name="GeneratePythonBat" AfterTargets="AfterBuild">
     <PropertyGroup>
@@ -99,6 +101,8 @@
 @rem This is only meant as a convenience for developing CPython
 @rem and using it outside of that context is ill-advised.
 @echo Running $(Configuration)^|$(Platform) interpreter...
+@setlocal
+@set PYTHONHOME=$(PySourcePath)
 @"$(OutDir)python$(PyDebugExt).exe" %*
 </_Content>
       <_ExistingContent Condition="Exists('$(PySourcePath)python.bat')">$([System.IO.File]::ReadAllText('$(PySourcePath)python.bat'))</_ExistingContent>
diff --git a/Tools/msi/build.bat b/Tools/msi/build.bat
index a61ace8a959..69f00c0bb43 100644
--- a/Tools/msi/build.bat
+++ b/Tools/msi/build.bat
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ if defined BUILDDOC (
     if errorlevel 1 goto :eof
 )
 
+rem Build the launcher MSI separately
+msbuild "%D%launcher\launcher.wixproj" /p:Platform=x86
+
 set BUILD_CMD="%D%bundle\snapshot.wixproj"
 if defined BUILDTEST (
     set BUILD_CMD=%BUILD_CMD% /p:UseTestMarker=true
diff --git a/Tools/msi/doc/doc.wxs b/Tools/msi/doc/doc.wxs
index 8dd0e21ae39..306fb11dc66 100644
--- a/Tools/msi/doc/doc.wxs
+++ b/Tools/msi/doc/doc.wxs
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
         <PropertyRef Id="UpgradeTable" />
         <PropertyRef Id="REGISTRYKEY" />
         
+        <Property Id="HHExe" Value="C:\Windows\hh.exe" />
+        <CustomAction Id="SetHHExe" Property="HHCExe" Value='[WindowsFolder]\hh.exe' Execute="immediate" />
+        <InstallExecuteSequence>
+            <Custom Action="SetHHExe" Before="CostFinalize">1</Custom>
+        </InstallExecuteSequence>
+        
         <Feature Id="DefaultFeature" AllowAdvertise="no" Title="!(loc.Title)" Description="!(loc.Description)">
             <ComponentGroupRef Id="doc" Primary="yes" />
             <ComponentRef Id="OptionalFeature" />
@@ -20,10 +26,12 @@
                     <RegistryValue Name="$(var.OptionalFeatureName)_shortcut" Type="string" Value="$(var.Version)" KeyPath="yes" />
                 </RegistryKey>
                 <Shortcut Id="python.chm"
-                          Target="[#python.chm]"
+                          Target="[HHExe]"
+                          Arguments="[#python.chm]"
                           Name="!(loc.ShortcutName)"
                           Description="!(loc.ShortcutDescription)"
-                          WorkingDirectory="InstallDirectory" />
+                          WorkingDirectory="InstallDirectory"
+                          Show="maximized" />
                 <RemoveFolder Id="Remove_MenuDir" On="uninstall" />
             </Component>
             <?endif ?>