diff --git a/include/wx/clntdata.h b/include/wx/clntdata.h
index a340575191..d6df32e34b 100644
--- a/include/wx/clntdata.h
+++ b/include/wx/clntdata.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include "wx/defs.h"
 #include "wx/string.h"
 #include "wx/hashmap.h"
-#include "wx/sharedptr.h"
+#include "wx/object.h"
 
 typedef int (*wxShadowObjectMethod)(void*, void*);
 WX_DECLARE_STRING_HASH_MAP_WITH_DECL(
@@ -187,13 +187,18 @@ protected:
     }
 
 private:
+    class wxRefCountedClientDataContainer : public wxClientDataContainer,
+                                            public wxRefCounter
+    {
+    };
+
     // Helper function that will create m_data if it is currently NULL
     wxClientDataContainer *GetValidClientData();
 
     // m_data is shared, not deep copied, when cloned. If you make changes to
     // the data in one instance of your class, you change it for all cloned
     // instances!
-    wxSharedPtr<wxClientDataContainer> m_data;
+    wxObjectDataPtr<wxRefCountedClientDataContainer> m_data;
 };
 
 #endif // _WX_CLNTDATAH__
diff --git a/src/common/clntdata.cpp b/src/common/clntdata.cpp
index 7e964b7de1..6ee5541545 100644
--- a/src/common/clntdata.cpp
+++ b/src/common/clntdata.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ wxClientDataContainer *wxSharedClientDataContainer::GetValidClientData()
 {
     if ( !HasClientDataContainer() )
     {
-        m_data = new wxClientDataContainer;
+        m_data = new wxRefCountedClientDataContainer;
     }
     return m_data.get();
 }