diff --git a/Quake/pl_linux.c b/Quake/pl_linux.c
index ebcec63b..00797927 100644
--- a/Quake/pl_linux.c
+++ b/Quake/pl_linux.c
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ void PL_VID_Shutdown (void)
 {
 }
 
+char *PL_GetClipboardData (void)
+{
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 void PL_ErrorDialog (const char *errorMsg)
 {
 }
diff --git a/Quake/pl_osx.m b/Quake/pl_osx.m
index 9b67e08b..52629014 100644
--- a/Quake/pl_osx.m
+++ b/Quake/pl_osx.m
@@ -30,13 +30,19 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 
 void PL_SetWindowIcon (void)
 {
-    // nothing to do on OS X
+/* nothing to do on OS X */
 }
 
 void PL_VID_Shutdown (void)
 {
 }
 
+char *PL_GetClipboardData (void)
+{
+	/* TODO */
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 void PL_ErrorDialog(const char *errorMsg)
 {
     NSRunCriticalAlertPanel(@"Quake Error",
diff --git a/Quake/pl_win.c b/Quake/pl_win.c
index d8d15e11..1d142650 100644
--- a/Quake/pl_win.c
+++ b/Quake/pl_win.c
@@ -62,6 +62,37 @@ void PL_VID_Shutdown (void)
 	DestroyIcon(icon);
 }
 
+#define MAX_CLIPBOARDTXT	MAXCMDLINE	/* 256 */
+char *PL_GetClipboardData (void)
+{
+	char *data = NULL;
+	char *cliptext;
+
+	if (OpenClipboard(NULL) != 0)
+	{
+		HANDLE hClipboardData;
+
+		if ((hClipboardData = GetClipboardData(CF_TEXT)) != NULL)
+		{
+			cliptext = (char *) GlobalLock(hClipboardData);
+			if (cliptext != NULL)
+			{
+				size_t size = GlobalSize(hClipboardData) + 1;
+			/* this is intended for simple small text copies
+			 * such as an ip address, etc:  do chop the size
+			 * here, otherwise we may experience Z_Malloc()
+			 * failures and all other not-oh-so-fun stuff. */
+				size = q_min(MAX_CLIPBOARDTXT, size);
+				data = (char *) Z_Malloc(size);
+				q_strlcpy (data, cliptext, size);
+				GlobalUnlock (hClipboardData);
+			}
+		}
+		CloseClipboard ();
+	}
+	return data;
+}
+
 void PL_ErrorDialog(const char *errorMsg)
 {
 	MessageBox (NULL, errorMsg, "Quake Error",
diff --git a/Quake/platform.h b/Quake/platform.h
index cd84a574..fdc92327 100644
--- a/Quake/platform.h
+++ b/Quake/platform.h
@@ -23,13 +23,16 @@ Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307, USA.
 #ifndef _QUAKE_PLATFORM_H
 #define _QUAKE_PLATFORM_H
 
-// platform dependent way to set the window icon
+/* platform dependent way to set the window icon */
 void PL_SetWindowIcon(void);
 
-// platform dependent cleanup
+/* platform dependent cleanup */
 void PL_VID_Shutdown (void);
 
-// show an error dialog
+/* retrieve text from the clipboard (returns Z_Malloc()'ed data) */
+char *PL_GetClipboardData (void);
+
+/* show an error dialog */
 void PL_ErrorDialog(const char *text);
 
 #endif	/* _QUAKE_PLATFORM_H */