diff --git a/src/gtk/window.cpp b/src/gtk/window.cpp
index e3fee8bcdf..91bf0a9e11 100644
--- a/src/gtk/window.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/window.cpp
@@ -2210,6 +2210,12 @@ wxWindowGTK::~wxWindowGTK()
     // delete before the widgets to avoid a crash on solaris
     delete m_imData;
 
+    // avoid problem with GTK+ 2.18 where a frozen window causes the whole
+    // TLW to be frozen, and if the window is then destroyed, nothing ever
+    // gets painted again
+    if (IsFrozen())
+        DoThaw();
+
     if (m_widget)
     {
         // Note that gtk_widget_destroy() does not destroy the widget, it just