diff --git a/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee b/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee
index 11d87f5713..2dda5a9b4d 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee
+++ b/atom/browser/api/lib/menu-item.coffee
@@ -1,7 +1,27 @@
 BrowserWindow = require 'browser-window'
+v8Util = process.atomBinding 'v8_util'
 
 nextCommandId = 0
 
+overrideProperty = (item, name, defaultValue) ->
+  item[name] ?= defaultValue
+
+  return unless process.platform is 'win32'
+  v8Util.setHiddenValue item, name, item[name]
+  Object.defineProperty item, name,
+    enumerable: true
+    get: -> v8Util.getHiddenValue item, name
+    set: (val) ->
+      v8Util.setHiddenValue item, name, val
+      item.menu?._updateStates()
+
+overrideReadOnlyProperty = (item, name, defaultValue) ->
+  item[name] ?= defaultValue
+  Object.defineProperty item, name,
+    enumerable: true
+    writable: false
+    value: item[name]
+
 class MenuItem
   @types = ['normal', 'separator', 'submenu', 'checkbox', 'radio']
 
@@ -13,14 +33,14 @@ class MenuItem
     @type = 'submenu' if not @type? and @submenu?
     throw new Error('Invalid submenu') if @type is 'submenu' and @submenu?.constructor isnt Menu
 
-    @type = @type ? 'normal'
-    @label = @label ? ''
-    @sublabel = @sublabel ? ''
-    @accelerator = @accelerator ? null
-    @enabled = @enabled ? true
-    @visible = @visible ? true
-    @checked = @checked ? false
-    @submenu = @submenu ? null
+    overrideReadOnlyProperty this, 'type', 'normal'
+    overrideReadOnlyProperty this, 'accelerator', null
+    overrideReadOnlyProperty this, 'submenu', null
+    overrideProperty this, 'label', ''
+    overrideProperty this, 'sublabel', ''
+    overrideProperty this, 'enabled', true
+    overrideProperty this, 'visible', true
+    overrideProperty this, 'checked', false
 
     throw new Error("Unknown menu type #{@type}") if MenuItem.types.indexOf(@type) is -1
 
diff --git a/atom/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee b/atom/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee
index 0e7b4c263f..a2cdd2e9f1 100644
--- a/atom/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee
+++ b/atom/browser/api/lib/menu.coffee
@@ -64,18 +64,7 @@ Menu::insert = (pos, item) ->
 
   switch item.type
     when 'normal' then @insertItem pos, item.commandId, item.label
-    when 'checkbox'
-      # Update states when clicked on Windows.
-      if process.platform is 'win32'
-        v8Util.setHiddenValue item, 'checked', item.checked
-        Object.defineProperty item, 'checked',
-          enumerable: true
-          get: -> v8Util.getHiddenValue item, 'checked'
-          set: (val) =>
-            v8Util.setHiddenValue item, 'checked', val
-            @_updateStates() if process.platform is 'win32'
-
-      @insertCheckItem pos, item.commandId, item.label
+    when 'checkbox' then @insertCheckItem pos, item.commandId, item.label
     when 'separator' then @insertSeparator pos
     when 'submenu' then @insertSubMenu pos, item.commandId, item.label, item.submenu
     when 'radio'
@@ -85,7 +74,6 @@ Menu::insert = (pos, item) ->
       @groupsMap[item.groupId].push item
 
       # Setting a radio menu item should flip other items in the group.
-      v8Util.setHiddenValue item, 'checked', item.checked
       Object.defineProperty item, 'checked',
         enumerable: true
         get: -> v8Util.getHiddenValue item, 'checked'
@@ -101,6 +89,9 @@ Menu::insert = (pos, item) ->
 
   @setSublabel pos, item.sublabel if item.sublabel?
 
+  # Make menu accessable to items.
+  item.menu = this
+
   # Remember the items.
   @items.splice pos, 0, item
   @commandsMap[item.commandId] = item