diff --git a/src/msw/listctrl.cpp b/src/msw/listctrl.cpp
index c527a6f0d3..f16980f75f 100644
--- a/src/msw/listctrl.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/listctrl.cpp
@@ -1694,7 +1694,11 @@ bool wxListCtrl::MSWOnNotify(int idCtrl, WXLPARAM lParam, WXLPARAM *result)
                     else
                     {
                         eventType = wxEVT_COMMAND_LIST_KEY_DOWN;
-                        event.m_code = wxCharCodeMSWToWX(wVKey);
+
+                        // wxCharCodeMSWToWX() returns 0 if the key is an ASCII
+                        // value which should be used as is
+                        int code = wxCharCodeMSWToWX(wVKey);
+                        event.m_code = code ? code : wVKey;
                     }
 
                     event.m_itemIndex =