diff --git a/include/wx/init.h b/include/wx/init.h
index 6ce8e82876..b3a9ff6a4e 100644
--- a/include/wx/init.h
+++ b/include/wx/init.h
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ extern int WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxEntry(int& argc, char **argv);
 // initialize the library (may be called as many times as needed, but each
 // call to wxInitialize() must be matched by wxUninitialize())
 extern bool WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxInitialize();
-extern bool WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxInitialize(int argc, wxChar **argv);
+extern bool WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxInitialize(int& argc, wxChar **argv);
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
-extern bool WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxInitialize(int argc, char **argv);
+extern bool WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxInitialize(int& argc, char **argv);
 #endif
 
 // clean up -- the library can't be used any more after the last call to
@@ -87,13 +87,13 @@ public:
         m_ok = wxInitialize();
     }
 
-    wxInitializer(int argc, wxChar **argv)
+    wxInitializer(int& argc, wxChar **argv)
     {
         m_ok = wxInitialize(argc, argv);
     }
 
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
-    wxInitializer(int argc, char **argv)
+    wxInitializer(int& argc, char **argv)
     {
         m_ok = wxInitialize(argc, argv);
     }
diff --git a/src/common/init.cpp b/src/common/init.cpp
index fc72bd1d18..1bfbaf37ae 100644
--- a/src/common/init.cpp
+++ b/src/common/init.cpp
@@ -523,10 +523,11 @@ int wxEntry(int& argc, char **argv)
 
 bool wxInitialize()
 {
-    return wxInitialize(0, (wxChar**)NULL);
+    int argc = 0;
+    return wxInitialize(argc, (wxChar**)NULL);
 }
 
-bool wxInitialize(int argc, wxChar **argv)
+bool wxInitialize(int& argc, wxChar **argv)
 {
     wxCRIT_SECT_LOCKER(lockInit, gs_initData.csInit);
 
@@ -540,7 +541,7 @@ bool wxInitialize(int argc, wxChar **argv)
 }
 
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
-bool wxInitialize(int argc, char **argv)
+bool wxInitialize(int& argc, char **argv)
 {
     wxCRIT_SECT_LOCKER(lockInit, gs_initData.csInit);