diff --git a/include/wx/ctrlsub.h b/include/wx/ctrlsub.h
index af72d690be..cf5c943c07 100644
--- a/include/wx/ctrlsub.h
+++ b/include/wx/ctrlsub.h
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ protected:
     virtual void SetInitialBestSize(const wxSize& WXUNUSED(size)) { }
 
 private:
+    DECLARE_ABSTRACT_CLASS(wxControlWithItems)
     DECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxControlWithItems)
 };
 
diff --git a/src/common/ctrlsub.cpp b/src/common/ctrlsub.cpp
index 7f294c3f5d..df087db268 100644
--- a/src/common/ctrlsub.cpp
+++ b/src/common/ctrlsub.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
     #include "wx/arrstr.h"
 #endif
 
+IMPLEMENT_ABSTRACT_CLASS(wxControlWithItems, wxControl)
+
 // ============================================================================
 // wxItemContainerImmutable implementation
 // ============================================================================