diff --git a/include/wx/string.h b/include/wx/string.h
index d9d59a835c..1ceea75a1c 100644
--- a/include/wx/string.h
+++ b/include/wx/string.h
@@ -377,9 +377,13 @@ public:
     // operator version of GetChar
     wxChar  operator[](int n) const
       { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); return m_pchData[n]; }
+    // This is a rather ugly hack, but needed to resolve overloading
+    // conflicts on the AXP architecture:
+#ifdef __alpha__
     // operator version of GetChar
     wxChar  operator[](unsigned int n) const
       { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); return m_pchData[n]; }
+#endif
     // operator version of GetWritableChar
     wxChar& operator[](size_t n)
       { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData[n]; }