diff --git a/include/wx/caret.h b/include/wx/caret.h
index e6e9728ff8..b625b5f0ac 100644
--- a/include/wx/caret.h
+++ b/include/wx/caret.h
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ protected:
         m_window = window;
         m_width = width;
         m_height = height;
+        DoSize();
 
         return true;
     }
diff --git a/src/generic/caret.cpp b/src/generic/caret.cpp
index 0f5aa7ac51..603888570b 100644
--- a/src/generic/caret.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/caret.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,8 @@ void wxCaret::InitGeneric()
 #ifndef wxHAS_CARET_USING_OVERLAYS
     m_xOld =
     m_yOld = -1;
-    m_bmpUnderCaret.Create(m_width, m_height);
+    if (m_width && m_height)
+        m_bmpUnderCaret.Create(m_width, m_height);
 #endif
 }
 
@@ -174,7 +175,10 @@ void wxCaret::DoSize()
     m_overlay.Reset();
 #else
     // Change bitmap size
-    m_bmpUnderCaret = wxBitmap(m_width, m_height);
+    if (m_width && m_height)
+        m_bmpUnderCaret = wxBitmap(m_width, m_height);
+    else
+        m_bmpUnderCaret = wxBitmap();
 #endif
     if (countVisible > 0)
     {
diff --git a/tests/controls/windowtest.cpp b/tests/controls/windowtest.cpp
index 372317e67b..cfcc4a0f6d 100644
--- a/tests/controls/windowtest.cpp
+++ b/tests/controls/windowtest.cpp
@@ -136,10 +136,22 @@ TEST_CASE_METHOD(WindowTestCase, "Window::Mouse", "[window]")
     CHECK(m_window->GetCursor().IsOk());
 
 #if wxUSE_CARET
-    //A plain window doesn't have a caret
     CHECK(!m_window->GetCaret());
 
-    wxCaret* caret = new wxCaret(m_window, 16, 16);
+    wxCaret* caret;
+
+    // Try creating the caret in two different, but normally equivalent, ways.
+    SECTION("Caret 1-step")
+    {
+        caret = new wxCaret(m_window, 16, 16);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("Caret 2-step")
+    {
+        caret = new wxCaret();
+        caret->Create(m_window, 16, 16);
+    }
+
     m_window->SetCaret(caret);
 
     CHECK(m_window->GetCaret()->IsOk());