diff --git a/build/wxExtend.vcxproj b/build/wxExtend.vcxproj
index 561f08d..4372cda 100644
--- a/build/wxExtend.vcxproj
+++ b/build/wxExtend.vcxproj
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClCompile Include="..\src\appbar.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="..\src\appex.cpp" />
+    <ClCompile Include="..\src\comutils.cpp" />
     <ClCompile Include="..\src\stdafx.cpp">
       <PrecompiledHeader Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|Win32'">Create</PrecompiledHeader>
       <PrecompiledHeader Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|Win32'">Create</PrecompiledHeader>
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@
     <ClInclude Include="..\include\wxex\appbar.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="..\include\wxex\appex.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="..\include\wxex\common.h" />
+    <ClInclude Include="..\include\wxex\comutils.h" />
     <ClInclude Include="..\src\stdafx.h" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
diff --git a/build/wxExtend.vcxproj.filters b/build/wxExtend.vcxproj.filters
index 150b51d..9770a7f 100644
--- a/build/wxExtend.vcxproj.filters
+++ b/build/wxExtend.vcxproj.filters
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@
     <ClCompile Include="..\src\appex.cpp">
       <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
     </ClCompile>
+    <ClCompile Include="..\src\comutils.cpp">
+      <Filter>Source Files</Filter>
+    </ClCompile>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <ClInclude Include="..\src\stdafx.h">
@@ -42,6 +45,9 @@
     <ClInclude Include="..\include\wxex\appex.h">
       <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
     </ClInclude>
+    <ClInclude Include="..\include\wxex\comutils.h">
+      <Filter>Header Files</Filter>
+    </ClInclude>
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <None Include="..\locale\wxExtend.pot">
diff --git a/include/wxex/comutils.h b/include/wxex/comutils.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c2ecb21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/wxex/comutils.h
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/*
+    Copyright 2016 Amebis
+
+    This file is part of wxExtend.
+
+    wxExtend is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    wxExtend is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+    WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with wxExtend. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "common.h"
+
+
+///
+/// Create an object of this class on stack to initialize/cleanup the COM automatically.
+///
+class ZRCOLA_API wxCoInitializer
+{
+public:
+    ///
+    /// Initialize the COM
+    ///
+    /// \param[in] dwCoInit  The concurrency model and initialization options for the thread to pass to \c CoInitializeEx
+    ///
+    wxCoInitializer(DWORD dwCoInit = COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
+
+    ///
+    /// Dtor clean up
+    ///
+    virtual ~wxCoInitializer();
+    
+    ///
+    /// Has the initialization been successful? (explicit test)
+    ///
+    /// \returns
+    /// - true if initialization succeeded
+    /// - false otherwise
+    ///
+    bool IsOk() const { return m_ok; }
+
+    ///
+    /// Has the initialization been successful? (implicit test)
+    ///
+    /// \returns
+    /// - true if initialization succeeded
+    /// - false otherwise
+    ///
+    operator bool() const { return m_ok; }
+
+private:
+    bool m_ok;
+};
diff --git a/src/comutils.cpp b/src/comutils.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..09d1379
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/comutils.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/*
+    Copyright 2015-2016 Amebis
+
+    This file is part of wxExtend.
+
+    wxExtend is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+    under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    wxExtend is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+    WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with wxExtend. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+*/
+
+#include "stdafx.h"
+
+
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+// wxCoInitializer
+//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+wxCoInitializer::wxCoInitializer(DWORD dwCoInit)
+{
+    m_ok = SUCCEEDED(::CoInitializeEx(NULL, dwCoInit));
+}
+
+
+wxCoInitializer::~wxCoInitializer()
+{
+    if (m_ok)
+        ::CoUninitialize();
+}
diff --git a/src/stdafx.h b/src/stdafx.h
index 5758264..d3e333e 100644
--- a/src/stdafx.h
+++ b/src/stdafx.h
@@ -25,5 +25,6 @@
 
 #include "../include/wxex/appbar.h"
 #include "../include/wxex/appex.h"
+#include "../include/wxex/comutils.h"
 
 #include "../include/wxex/common.h"