diff --git a/include/wx/dataview.h b/include/wx/dataview.h
index 9023e66e33..1b22d2eca1 100644
--- a/include/wx/dataview.h
+++ b/include/wx/dataview.h
@@ -806,11 +806,13 @@ protected:
     virtual void DoSetIndent() = 0;
 
 #if wxUSE_DRAG_AND_DROP
-    virtual wxDataObject* CreateDataObject(const wxVector<wxDataFormat>& formats);
+    // Helper function which can be used by DoEnableDropTarget() implementations
+    // in the derived classes: return a composite data object supporting the
+    // given formats or null if the vector is empty.
+    static wxDataObject* CreateDataObject(const wxVector<wxDataFormat>& formats);
 
     virtual bool DoEnableDropTarget(const wxVector<wxDataFormat>& WXUNUSED(formats))
         { return false; }
-
 #endif // wxUSE_DRAG_AND_DROP
 
     // Just expand this item assuming it is already shown, i.e. its parent has
diff --git a/src/common/datavcmn.cpp b/src/common/datavcmn.cpp
index f1691311ff..952eb2e176 100644
--- a/src/common/datavcmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/datavcmn.cpp
@@ -1690,6 +1690,7 @@ void wxDataViewCtrlBase::StartEditor(const wxDataViewItem& item, unsigned int co
 
 #if wxUSE_DRAG_AND_DROP
 
+/* static */
 wxDataObject* wxDataViewCtrlBase::CreateDataObject(const wxVector<wxDataFormat>& formats)
 {
     if (formats.empty())