diff --git a/helper/testtask/testtask.go b/helper/testtask/testtask.go
index 0152e3be2..fa8bc0cd0 100644
--- a/helper/testtask/testtask.go
+++ b/helper/testtask/testtask.go
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"strconv"
-	"syscall"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/hashicorp/nomad/nomad/structs"
@@ -115,21 +113,11 @@ func execute() {
 			ioutil.WriteFile(file, []byte(msg), 0666)
 
 		case "pgrp":
-			// pgrp <group_int> puts the pid in a new process group
 			if len(args) < 1 {
 				fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "expected process group number for pgrp")
 				os.Exit(1)
 			}
-			num := popArg()
-			grp, err := strconv.Atoi(num)
-			if err != nil {
-				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to convert process group number %q: %v\n", num, err)
-				os.Exit(1)
-			}
-			if err := syscall.Setpgid(0, grp); err != nil {
-				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to set process group: %v\n", err)
-				os.Exit(1)
-			}
+			executeProcessGroup(popArg())
 
 		case "fork/exec":
 			// fork/exec <pid_file> <args> forks execs the helper process
diff --git a/helper/testtask/testtask_unix.go b/helper/testtask/testtask_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6b17a7a43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helper/testtask/testtask_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// +build unix
+
+package testtask
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strconv"
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+func executeProcessGroup(gid string) {
+	// pgrp <group_int> puts the pid in a new process group
+	grp, err := strconv.Atoi(gid)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to convert process group number %q: %v\n", gid, err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	if err := syscall.Setpgid(0, grp); err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "failed to set process group: %v\n", err)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/helper/testtask/testtask_windows.go b/helper/testtask/testtask_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..64717665f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helper/testtask/testtask_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+// +build windows
+
+package testtask
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+)
+
+func executeProcessGroup(gid string) {
+	fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "process groups are not supported on windows\n")
+	os.Exit(1)
+}