diff --git a/src/backend/2globalsUNIX.go b/src/backend/2globalsUNIX.go
index 4b645c4..caafb97 100644
--- a/src/backend/2globalsUNIX.go
+++ b/src/backend/2globalsUNIX.go
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ var ConfigPath = ConfigDir + "/libmutton.ini"
 // PathSeparator defines the character used to separate directories in a path (platform-specific)
 const (
 	PathSeparator = "/"
-	Windows       = false // TODO temporary, remove after native sync is implemented
+	IsWindows     = false
 )
diff --git a/src/backend/2globalsWIN.go b/src/backend/2globalsWIN.go
index 991bdc2..5b92a53 100644
--- a/src/backend/2globalsWIN.go
+++ b/src/backend/2globalsWIN.go
@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ var ConfigPath = ConfigDir + "\\libmutton.ini"
 // PathSeparator defines the character used to separate directories in a path (platform-specific)
 const (
 	PathSeparator = "\\"
-	Windows       = true // TODO temporary, remove after native sync is implemented
+	IsWindows     = true
 )
diff --git a/src/sync/client.go b/src/sync/client.go
index 6da3ab3..672f7b0 100644
--- a/src/sync/client.go
+++ b/src/sync/client.go
@@ -12,11 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
-// TODO it is likely that all of this breaks on Windows, since the server returns unpredictable paths
-// See what libmuttonserver fetch returns on Windows
-// If the path separators are different, then we'll have to save the server OS during init and adjust accordingly
-// I would prefer not to unnecessarily replace the path separators if syncing from Unix->Unix or Windows->Windows
-
 // global constants used only in this file
 const (
 	ansiDelete   = "\033[38;5;1m"
@@ -159,7 +154,7 @@ func getRemoteDataFromClient(manualSync bool) (map[string]int64, []string, []str
 		fmt.Println(backend.AnsiError + "Sync failed - No device ID found; run \"mutn init\" to generate a device ID" + backend.AnsiReset)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
-	output := GetSSHOutput("libmuttonserver fetch "+clientDeviceID[0].Name(), manualSync)
+	output := GetSSHOutput("libmuttonserver fetch "+clientDeviceID[0].Name()+" "+strconv.FormatBool(backend.IsWindows), manualSync)
 
 	// split output into slice based on occurrences of "\x1d"
 	outputSlice := strings.Split(output, "\x1d")
diff --git a/src/sync/common.go b/src/sync/common.go
index a27221c..2d6118c 100644
--- a/src/sync/common.go
+++ b/src/sync/common.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func Shear(targetLocationIncomplete string, deviceID string) {
 				}
 			}
 		}
-	} else { // if running on the client... (online mode determined dynamically in GetSSHOutput, will silently exit if not in online mode)
+	} else { // if running on the client... (online mode determined dynamically in GetSSHOutput, will silently exit if not in online mode) // TODO separate into own function to avoid server needing to build SSH
 		// determine client device ID (to send to server, avoids creating a deletion file for the client device)
 		deviceID = deviceIDList[0].Name()
 		// below: deviceID and targetLocationIncomplete are separated by \x1d, path separators are replaced with \x1e, and spaces are replaced with \x1f
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func AddFolder(targetLocationIncomplete string, onServer bool) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if !onServer { // if running on the client... (online mode determined dynamically in GetSSHOutput, will silently exit if not in online mode)
+	if !onServer { // if running on the client... (online mode determined dynamically in GetSSHOutput, will silently exit if not in online mode) // TODO separate into own function to avoid server needing to build SSH
 		GetSSHOutput("libmuttonserver addfolder "+strings.ReplaceAll(targetLocationIncomplete, " ", "\x1f"), false)
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/sync/server.go b/src/sync/server.go
index 5a33c95..3c95d02 100644
--- a/src/sync/server.go
+++ b/src/sync/server.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import (
 // GetRemoteDataFromServer prints to stdout the remote entries, mod times, folders, and deletions
 // lists in output are separated by "\x1d"
 // output is meant to be captured over SSH for interpretation by the client
-func GetRemoteDataFromServer(clientDeviceID string) {
+func GetRemoteDataFromServer(clientDeviceID string, clientIsWindows bool) {
 	entryList, dirList := WalkEntryDir()
 	modList := getModTimes(entryList)
 	deletionsList, err := os.ReadDir(backend.ConfigDir + backend.PathSeparator + "deletions")
@@ -19,19 +19,36 @@ func GetRemoteDataFromServer(clientDeviceID string) {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
-	// print the lists to stdout
-	for _, entry := range entryList {
-		fmt.Print("\x1f" + entry)
+	// determine path separator expected by the client
+	var clientPathSeparator string
+	switch clientIsWindows {
+	case false:
+		clientPathSeparator = "/"
+	case true:
+		clientPathSeparator = "\\"
 	}
+
+	// print the lists to stdout
+
+	// entry list
+	for _, entry := range entryList {
+		printWithClientPathSeparator(entry, clientPathSeparator, clientIsWindows)
+	}
+
+	// modification time list
 	fmt.Print("\x1d")
 	for _, mod := range modList {
 		fmt.Print("\x1f")
 		fmt.Print(mod)
 	}
+
+	// directory/folder list
 	fmt.Print("\x1d")
 	for _, dir := range dirList {
-		fmt.Print("\x1f" + dir)
+		printWithClientPathSeparator(dir, clientPathSeparator, clientIsWindows)
 	}
+
+	// deletions list
 	fmt.Print("\x1d")
 	for _, deletion := range deletionsList {
 		// print deletion if it is relevant to the current client device
@@ -44,3 +61,13 @@ func GetRemoteDataFromServer(clientDeviceID string) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// printWithClientPathSeparator prints the given string with the client's path separator
+// it does not alter the string if the client and server are of the same OS family
+func printWithClientPathSeparator(printable, clientPathSeparator string, clientIsWindows bool) {
+	if clientIsWindows == backend.IsWindows {
+		fmt.Print("\x1f" + printable)
+	} else {
+		fmt.Print("\x1f" + strings.ReplaceAll(printable, backend.PathSeparator, clientPathSeparator))
+	}
+}