diff --git a/include/wx/msw/taskbarbutton.h b/include/wx/msw/taskbarbutton.h
index 0535d74941..4ef0f609a6 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/taskbarbutton.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/taskbarbutton.h
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ class WXDLLIMPEXP_FWD_CORE wxITaskbarList3;
 class WXDLLIMPEXP_CORE wxTaskBarButtonImpl : public wxTaskBarButton
 {
 public:
-    wxTaskBarButtonImpl(wxWindow* parent);
     virtual ~wxTaskBarButtonImpl();
 
     virtual void SetProgressRange(int range) wxOVERRIDE;
@@ -47,6 +46,9 @@ public:
     bool InitOrUpdateThumbBarButtons();
 
 private:
+    // This ctor is only used by wxTaskBarButton::New()
+    wxTaskBarButtonImpl(wxITaskbarList3* taskbarList, wxWindow* parent);
+
     WXHWND m_hwnd;
     wxITaskbarList3 *m_taskbarList;
 
@@ -56,6 +58,8 @@ private:
     int m_progressRange;
     bool m_hasInitThumbnailToolbar;
 
+    friend wxTaskBarButton* wxTaskBarButton::New(wxWindow*);
+
     wxDECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxTaskBarButtonImpl);
 };
 
diff --git a/include/wx/taskbarbutton.h b/include/wx/taskbarbutton.h
index 6470253356..1652cc560f 100644
--- a/include/wx/taskbarbutton.h
+++ b/include/wx/taskbarbutton.h
@@ -106,7 +106,10 @@ private:
 class WXDLLIMPEXP_CORE wxTaskBarButton
 {
 public:
-    wxTaskBarButton() { }
+    // Factory function, may return NULL if task bar buttons are not supported
+    // by the current system.
+    static wxTaskBarButton* New(wxWindow* parent);
+
     virtual ~wxTaskBarButton() { }
 
     // Operations:
@@ -127,6 +130,9 @@ public:
     virtual wxThumbBarButton* RemoveThumbBarButton(wxThumbBarButton *button) = 0;
     virtual wxThumbBarButton* RemoveThumbBarButton(int id) = 0;
 
+protected:
+    wxTaskBarButton() { }
+
 private:
     wxDECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxTaskBarButton);
 };
diff --git a/src/msw/appprogress.cpp b/src/msw/appprogress.cpp
index dd68ec9694..f23836bee1 100644
--- a/src/msw/appprogress.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/appprogress.cpp
@@ -33,12 +33,16 @@ wxAppProgressIndicator::wxAppProgressIndicator(wxWindow* parent, int maxValue)
               it != wxTopLevelWindows.end();
               ++it )
         {
-            m_taskBarButtons.push_back(new wxTaskBarButtonImpl(*it));
+            wxTaskBarButton* const button = wxTaskBarButton::New(*it);
+            if ( button )
+                m_taskBarButtons.push_back(button);
         }
     }
     else
     {
-        m_taskBarButtons.push_back(new wxTaskBarButtonImpl(parent));
+        wxTaskBarButton* const button = wxTaskBarButton::New(parent);
+        if ( button )
+            m_taskBarButtons.push_back(button);
     }
 
     Reset();
diff --git a/src/msw/frame.cpp b/src/msw/frame.cpp
index 7e9273c964..0114feba9f 100644
--- a/src/msw/frame.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/frame.cpp
@@ -991,7 +991,7 @@ WXLRESULT wxFrame::MSWWindowProc(WXUINT message, WXWPARAM wParam, WXLPARAM lPara
 #if wxUSE_TASKBARBUTTON
     if ( message == wxMsgTaskbarButtonCreated )
     {
-        m_taskBarButton = new wxTaskBarButtonImpl(this);
+        m_taskBarButton = wxTaskBarButton::New(this);
         processed = true;
     }
 #endif