diff --git a/wxPython/demo/Main.py b/wxPython/demo/Main.py
index f723cb0874..89372d40b9 100644
--- a/wxPython/demo/Main.py
+++ b/wxPython/demo/Main.py
@@ -382,8 +382,24 @@ class wxPythonDemo(wxFrame):
         self.nb = wxNotebook(splitter2, -1, style=wxCLIP_CHILDREN)
 
         # Set up a wxHtmlWindow on the Overview Notebook page
-        self.ovr = wxHtmlWindow(self.nb, -1, size=(400, 400))
-        self.nb.AddPage(self.ovr, self.overviewText)
+        # we put it in a panel first because there seems to be a
+        # refresh bug of some sort (wxGTK) when it is directly in
+        # the notebook...
+        if 0:  # the old way
+            self.ovr = wxHtmlWindow(self.nb, -1, size=(400, 400))
+            self.nb.AddPage(self.ovr, self.overviewText)
+
+        else:  # hopefully I can remove this hacky code soon, see bug #216861
+            panel = wxPanel(self.nb, -1, style=wxCLIP_CHILDREN)
+            self.ovr = wxHtmlWindow(panel, -1, size=(400, 400))
+            self.nb.AddPage(panel, self.overviewText)
+
+            def OnOvrSize(evt, ovr=self.ovr):
+                ovr.SetSize(evt.GetSize())
+
+            EVT_SIZE(panel, OnOvrSize)
+            EVT_ERASE_BACKGROUND(panel, EmptyHandler)
+
 
         self.SetOverview(self.overviewText, overview)