diff --git a/engine/platform/dos/vid_dos.c b/engine/platform/dos/vid_dos.c
index 08bf206a..ae5129c2 100644
--- a/engine/platform/dos/vid_dos.c
+++ b/engine/platform/dos/vid_dos.c
@@ -543,9 +543,9 @@ qboolean SW_CreateBuffer( int width, int height, uint *stride, uint *bpp, uint *
 	return true;
 }
 
-qboolean R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, int type )
+ref_window_type_t R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, ref_window_type_t type )
 {
-	return FALSE;
+	return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_NULL;
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/engine/platform/linux/vid_fbdev.c b/engine/platform/linux/vid_fbdev.c
index e9a788d5..24c2be7e 100644
--- a/engine/platform/linux/vid_fbdev.c
+++ b/engine/platform/linux/vid_fbdev.c
@@ -246,9 +246,9 @@ qboolean SW_CreateBuffer( int width, int height, uint *stride, uint *bpp, uint *
 	return true;
 }
 
-qboolean R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, int type )
+ref_window_type_t R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, ref_window_type_t type )
 {
-	return FALSE;
+	return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_NULL;
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/engine/platform/platform.h b/engine/platform/platform.h
index 3d58f414..51fea09c 100644
--- a/engine/platform/platform.h
+++ b/engine/platform/platform.h
@@ -314,6 +314,8 @@ typedef enum
 
 struct vidmode_s;
 typedef enum window_mode_e window_mode_t;
+typedef enum ref_window_type_e ref_window_type_t;
+
 // Window
 qboolean  R_Init_Video( const int type );
 void      R_Free_Video( void );
@@ -330,7 +332,7 @@ void *SW_LockBuffer( void );
 void SW_UnlockBuffer( void );
 qboolean SW_CreateBuffer( int width, int height, uint *stride, uint *bpp, uint *r, uint *g, uint *b );
 void Platform_Minimize_f( void );
-qboolean R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, int type );
+ref_window_type_t R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, ref_window_type_t type );
 
 //
 // in_evdev.c
diff --git a/engine/platform/sdl1/vid_sdl1.c b/engine/platform/sdl1/vid_sdl1.c
index 682efa7f..88fc8c00 100644
--- a/engine/platform/sdl1/vid_sdl1.c
+++ b/engine/platform/sdl1/vid_sdl1.c
@@ -513,9 +513,9 @@ qboolean VID_SetMode( void )
 	return true;
 }
 
-qboolean R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, int type )
+ref_window_type_t R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, ref_window_type_t type )
 {
-	return FALSE;
+	return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_NULL;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/engine/platform/sdl2/vid_sdl2.c b/engine/platform/sdl2/vid_sdl2.c
index b786d912..ef0b074c 100644
--- a/engine/platform/sdl2/vid_sdl2.c
+++ b/engine/platform/sdl2/vid_sdl2.c
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 #include "vid_common.h"
 #include "platform_sdl2.h"
 
+// include it after because it breaks definitions in net_api.h wtf
+#include <SDL_syswm.h>
+
 static vidmode_t *vidmodes = NULL;
 static int num_vidmodes = 0;
 static void GL_SetupAttributes( void );
@@ -367,14 +370,13 @@ static void WIN_SetDPIAwareness( void )
 	}
 }
 
-#include <SDL_syswm.h>
 static qboolean WIN_SetWindowIcon( HICON ico )
 {
 	SDL_SysWMinfo wminfo;
 
 	SDL_VERSION( &wminfo.version );
 
-	if( SDL_GetWindowWMInfo( host.hWnd, &wminfo ) == SDL_TRUE )
+	if( SDL_GetWindowWMInfo( host.hWnd, &wminfo ) == SDL_TRUE && wminfo.subsystem == SDL_SYSWM_WINDOWS )
 	{
 		SendMessage( wminfo.info.win.window, WM_SETICON, ICON_SMALL, (LONG_PTR)ico );
 		SendMessage( wminfo.info.win.window, WM_SETICON, ICON_BIG, (LONG_PTR)ico );
@@ -1165,52 +1167,67 @@ qboolean VID_SetMode( void )
 	return true;
 }
 
-qboolean R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, int type )
+ref_window_type_t R_GetWindowHandle( void **handle, ref_window_type_t type )
 {
 	SDL_SysWMinfo wmInfo;
+
+	if( type == REF_WINDOW_TYPE_SDL )
+	{
+		if( handle )
+			*handle = (void *)host.hWnd;
+		return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_SDL;
+	}
+
 	SDL_VERSION( &wmInfo.version );
 
-	if ( SDL_GetWindowWMInfo( host.hWnd, &wmInfo ) != SDL_TRUE )
-	{
-		return FALSE;
-	}
+	if( SDL_GetWindowWMInfo( host.hWnd, &wmInfo ))
+		return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_NULL;
 
-	switch( type )
+	switch( wmInfo.subsystem )
 	{
-		case REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WIN32:
+	case SDL_SYSWM_WINDOWS:
+		if( !type || type == REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WIN32 )
+		{
 #ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_WINDOWS
-			*handle = (void*)wmInfo.info.win.window; // HWND
-			return TRUE;
-#else
-			return FALSE;
-#endif
-		case REF_WINDOW_TYPE_MACOS:
-#ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_COCOA
-			*handle = (void*)wmInfo.info.cocoa.window; // NSWindow*
-			return TRUE;
-#else
-			return FALSE;
-#endif
-		case REF_WINDOW_TYPE_X11:
+			if( handle )
+				*handle = (void *)wmInfo.info.win.window;
+			return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WIN32;
+#endif // SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_WINDOWS
+		}
+		break;
+	case SDL_SYSWM_X11:
+		if( !type || type == REF_WINDOW_TYPE_X11 )
+		{
 #ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_X11
-			*handle = (void*)(uintptr_t)wmInfo.info.x11.window; // X11 Window
-			return TRUE;
-#else
-			return FALSE;
-#endif
-		case REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WAYLAND:
+			if( handle )
+				*handle = (void *)(uintptr_t)wmInfo.info.x11.window;
+			return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_X11;
+#endif // SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_X11
+		}
+		break;
+	case SDL_SYSWM_COCOA:
+		if( !type || type == REF_WINDOW_TYPE_MACOS )
+		{
+#ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_COCOA
+			if( handle )
+				*handle = (void *)wmInfo.info.cocoa.window;
+			return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_MACOS;
+#endif // SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_COCOA
+		}
+		break;
+	case SDL_SYSWM_WAYLAND:
+		if( !type || type == REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WAYLAND )
+		{
 #ifdef SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_WAYLAND
-			*handle = (void*)wmInfo.info.wl.surface; // wl_surface*
-			return TRUE;
-#else
-			return FALSE;
-#endif
-		case REF_WINDOW_TYPE_SDL:
-			*handle = (void*)host.hWnd; // SDL_Window*
-			return TRUE;
+			if( handle )
+				*handle = (void *)wmInfo.info.wl.surface;
+			return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WAYLAND;
+#endif // SDL_VIDEO_DRIVER_WAYLAND
+		}
+		break;
 	}
 
-	return FALSE;
+	return REF_WINDOW_TYPE_NULL;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/engine/ref_api.h b/engine/ref_api.h
index dc9ad5fb..4c6610d2 100644
--- a/engine/ref_api.h
+++ b/engine/ref_api.h
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ GNU General Public License for more details.
 //    CL_RunLightStyles now accepts lightstyles array.
 //    Removed R_DrawTileClear and Mod_LoadMapSprite, as they're implemented on engine side
 //    Removed FillRGBABlend. Now FillRGBA accepts rendermode parameter.
-// 10. Added R_GetWindowHandle.
-#define REF_API_VERSION 9
+// 10. Added R_GetWindowHandle to retrieve platform-specific window object.
+#define REF_API_VERSION 10
 
 #define TF_SKY		(TF_SKYSIDE|TF_NOMIPMAP|TF_ALLOW_NEAREST)
 #define TF_FONT		(TF_NOMIPMAP|TF_CLAMP|TF_ALLOW_NEAREST)
@@ -104,14 +104,15 @@ typedef enum
 	DEMO_QUAKE1
 } demo_mode;
 
-enum
+typedef enum ref_window_type_e
 {
-	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WIN32 = 1, // HWND
-	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_X11 = 2, // Display*
-	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WAYLAND = 3, // wl_display*
-	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_MACOS = 4, // NSWindow*
-	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_SDL = 5, // SDL_Window*
-};
+	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_NULL = 0,
+	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WIN32, // HWND
+	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_X11, // Display*
+	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_WAYLAND, // wl_display*
+	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_MACOS, // NSWindow*
+	REF_WINDOW_TYPE_SDL, // SDL_Window*
+} ref_window_type_t;
 
 typedef struct
 {
@@ -479,7 +480,7 @@ typedef struct ref_api_s
 	fs_api_t	*fsapi;
 
 	// for abstracting the engine's rendering
-	qboolean (*R_GetWindowHandle)( void **handle, int type );
+	ref_window_type_t (*R_GetWindowHandle)( void **handle, ref_window_type_t type );
 } ref_api_t;
 
 struct mip_s;