diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
index 23884a7..6a36b1f 100644
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ add_executable(tomato
 	./send_image_popup.hpp
 	./send_image_popup.cpp
 
+	./settings_window.hpp
+	./settings_window.cpp
+
 	./chat_gui4.hpp
 	./chat_gui4.cpp
 )
diff --git a/src/main_screen.cpp b/src/main_screen.cpp
index 34d152a..b5f06ae 100644
--- a/src/main_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/main_screen.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ MainScreen::MainScreen(SDL_Renderer* renderer_, std::string save_path, std::stri
 	mmil(rmm),
 	tam(rmm, cr, conf),
 	sdlrtu(renderer_),
-	cg(conf, rmm, cr, sdlrtu)
+	cg(conf, rmm, cr, sdlrtu),
+	sw(conf)
 {
 	tel.subscribeAll(tc);
 
@@ -87,11 +88,29 @@ Screen* MainScreen::poll(bool& quit) {
 
 	tam.iterate();
 
+	// HACK: render the tomato main window first, with proper flags set.
+	// flags need to be set the first time begin() is called.
+	// and plugins are run before the main cg is run.
+	{
+		// TODO: maybe render cg earlier? or move the main window out of cg?
+		constexpr auto bg_window_flags =
+			ImGuiWindowFlags_NoDecoration |
+			ImGuiWindowFlags_NoMove |
+			ImGuiWindowFlags_NoResize |
+			ImGuiWindowFlags_NoSavedSettings |
+			ImGuiWindowFlags_MenuBar |
+			ImGuiWindowFlags_NoBringToFrontOnFocus;
+
+		ImGui::Begin("tomato", nullptr, bg_window_flags);
+		ImGui::End();
+	}
+
 	pm.tick(time_delta);
 
 	mts.iterate();
 
 	cg.render();
+	sw.render();
 
 	if constexpr (false) {
 		ImGui::ShowDemoWindow();
diff --git a/src/main_screen.hpp b/src/main_screen.hpp
index 2b87b51..54ab716 100644
--- a/src/main_screen.hpp
+++ b/src/main_screen.hpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 
 #include "./sdlrenderer_texture_uploader.hpp"
 #include "./chat_gui4.hpp"
+#include "./settings_window.hpp"
 
 #include <string>
 #include <iostream>
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ struct MainScreen final : public Screen {
 	//OpenGLTextureUploader ogltu;
 
 	ChatGui4 cg;
+	SettingsWindow sw;
 
 	MainScreen(SDL_Renderer* renderer_, std::string save_path, std::string save_password, std::vector<std::string> plugins);
 	~MainScreen(void);
diff --git a/src/settings_window.cpp b/src/settings_window.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a59978
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/settings_window.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#include "./settings_window.hpp"
+
+#include <imgui/imgui.h>
+#include <imgui/misc/cpp/imgui_stdlib.h>
+
+SettingsWindow::SettingsWindow(ConfigModelI& conf) : _conf(conf) {
+}
+
+void SettingsWindow::render(void) {
+	{ // main window menubar injection
+		// assumes the window "tomato" was rendered already by cg
+		if (ImGui::Begin("tomato")) {
+			if (ImGui::BeginMenuBar()) {
+				ImGui::Separator();
+				if (ImGui::BeginMenu("Settings")) {
+					if (ImGui::MenuItem("show settings window")) {
+						_show_window = true;
+					}
+					ImGui::EndMenu();
+				}
+				ImGui::EndMenuBar();
+			}
+
+		}
+		ImGui::End();
+	}
+
+	if (_show_window) {
+		if (ImGui::Begin("Settings", &_show_window)) {
+			ImGui::Text("Settings here sldjflsadfs");
+		}
+		ImGui::End();
+	}
+}
+
diff --git a/src/settings_window.hpp b/src/settings_window.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ae52e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/settings_window.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#pragma once
+
+struct ConfigModelI;
+
+class SettingsWindow {
+	bool _show_window {false};
+	ConfigModelI& _conf;
+
+	public:
+		SettingsWindow(ConfigModelI& conf);
+
+		void render(void);
+};
+