diff --git a/include/wx/window.h b/include/wx/window.h
index 42a300ef82..4fff9c3cd8 100644
--- a/include/wx/window.h
+++ b/include/wx/window.h
@@ -174,15 +174,6 @@ public:
         // Create()
     wxWindowBase() ;
 
-        // pseudo ctor (can't be virtual, called from ctor)
-    bool CreateBase(wxWindowBase *parent,
-                    wxWindowID winid,
-                    const wxPoint& pos = wxDefaultPosition,
-                    const wxSize& size = wxDefaultSize,
-                    long style = 0,
-                    const wxValidator& validator = wxDefaultValidator,
-                    const wxString& name = wxPanelNameStr);
-
     virtual ~wxWindowBase();
 
     // deleting the window
@@ -1421,6 +1412,24 @@ public:
     virtual bool CanApplyThemeBorder() const { return true; }
 
 protected:
+    // helper for the derived class Create() methods: the first overload, with
+    // validator parameter, should be used for child windows while the second
+    // one is used for top level ones
+    bool CreateBase(wxWindowBase *parent,
+                    wxWindowID winid,
+                    const wxPoint& pos = wxDefaultPosition,
+                    const wxSize& size = wxDefaultSize,
+                    long style = 0,
+                    const wxValidator& validator = wxDefaultValidator,
+                    const wxString& name = wxPanelNameStr);
+
+    bool CreateBase(wxWindowBase *parent,
+                    wxWindowID winid,
+                    const wxPoint& pos,
+                    const wxSize& size,
+                    long style,
+                    const wxString& name);
+
     // event handling specific to wxWindow
     virtual bool TryBefore(wxEvent& event);
     virtual bool TryAfter(wxEvent& event);
diff --git a/src/common/wincmn.cpp b/src/common/wincmn.cpp
index 1a03e224ef..30dc010510 100644
--- a/src/common/wincmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/wincmn.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,6 @@ bool wxWindowBase::CreateBase(wxWindowBase *parent,
                               const wxPoint& WXUNUSED(pos),
                               const wxSize& WXUNUSED(size),
                               long style,
-                              const wxValidator& wxVALIDATOR_PARAM(validator),
                               const wxString& name)
 {
     // ids are limited to 16 bits under MSW so if you care about portability,
@@ -243,6 +242,20 @@ bool wxWindowBase::CreateBase(wxWindowBase *parent,
     SetName(name);
     SetParent(parent);
 
+    return true;
+}
+
+bool wxWindowBase::CreateBase(wxWindowBase *parent,
+                              wxWindowID id,
+                              const wxPoint& pos,
+                              const wxSize& size,
+                              long style,
+                              const wxValidator& wxVALIDATOR_PARAM(validator),
+                              const wxString& name)
+{
+    if ( !CreateBase(parent, id, pos, size, style, name) )
+        return false;
+
 #if wxUSE_VALIDATORS
     SetValidator(validator);
 #endif // wxUSE_VALIDATORS
diff --git a/src/msw/toplevel.cpp b/src/msw/toplevel.cpp
index 274bc888c9..3773984990 100644
--- a/src/msw/toplevel.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/toplevel.cpp
@@ -476,19 +476,15 @@ bool wxTopLevelWindowMSW::Create(wxWindow *parent,
                                  long style,
                                  const wxString& name)
 {
-    bool ret wxDUMMY_INITIALIZE(false);
-
     wxSize sizeReal = size;
     if ( !sizeReal.IsFullySpecified() )
     {
         sizeReal.SetDefaults(GetDefaultSize());
     }
 
-    m_windowStyle = style;
-
-    SetName(name);
-
-    m_windowId = id == wxID_ANY ? NewControlId() : id;
+    bool ret = CreateBase(parent, id, pos, sizeReal, style, name);
+    if ( !ret )
+        return false;
 
     wxTopLevelWindows.Append(this);