diff --git a/stepmania/src/Crash.cpp b/stepmania/src/Crash.cpp
index 1c66275535..a054947a7a 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/Crash.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/Crash.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
 // #include "RageUtil.h" // for GotoURL
 HINSTANCE GotoURL(const char *url);
 
+/* in StepMania.cpp */
+void CleanupForRestart();
+
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 #define CODE_WINDOW (256)
@@ -1445,9 +1448,16 @@ BOOL APIENTRY CrashDlgProc(HWND hDlg, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) {
 				return TRUE;
 			case IDC_BUTTON_RESTART:
 				{
+					/* Clear the startup mutex, since we're starting a new
+					 * instance before ending ourself. */
+					CleanupForRestart();
+
 					char cwd[MAX_PATH];
 					SpliceProgramPath(cwd, MAX_PATH, "");
 
+					TCHAR szFullAppPath[MAX_PATH];
+					GetModuleFileName(NULL, szFullAppPath, MAX_PATH);
+
 					// Launch StepMania
 					PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
 					STARTUPINFO	si;
@@ -1455,7 +1465,7 @@ BOOL APIENTRY CrashDlgProc(HWND hDlg, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam) {
 
 					CreateProcess(
 						NULL,		// pointer to name of executable module
-						"stepmania.exe",		// pointer to command line string
+						szFullAppPath,		// pointer to command line string
 						NULL,  // process security attributes
 						NULL,   // thread security attributes
 						false,  // handle inheritance flag
diff --git a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
index 05c03cf4c2..ddda712b2c 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/StepMania.cpp
@@ -378,6 +378,11 @@ int WINAPI WinMain( HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE, LPSTR CmdLine, int nCmdShow
 	return 0L;
 }
 
+void CleanupForRestart()
+{
+	CloseHandle( g_hMutex );
+	g_hMutex = NULL;
+}
 
 void CreateLoadingWindow()
 {
@@ -502,6 +507,13 @@ BOOL CALLBACK ErrorWndProc( HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam )
 			break;
 		case IDC_BUTTON_RESTART:
 			{
+				/* Clear the startup mutex, since we're starting a new
+					* instance before ending ourself. */
+				CleanupForRestart();
+
+				TCHAR szFullAppPath[MAX_PATH];
+				GetModuleFileName(NULL, szFullAppPath, MAX_PATH);
+
 				// Launch StepMania
 				PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
 				STARTUPINFO	si;
@@ -509,7 +521,7 @@ BOOL CALLBACK ErrorWndProc( HWND hWnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam )
 
 				CreateProcess(
 					NULL,		// pointer to name of executable module
-					"stepmania.exe",		// pointer to command line string
+					szFullAppPath,		// pointer to command line string
 					NULL,  // process security attributes
 					NULL,   // thread security attributes
 					false,  // handle inheritance flag