diff --git a/include/wx/animate.h b/include/wx/animate.h
index ac50ddc2f6..d8d5e956ad 100644
--- a/include/wx/animate.h
+++ b/include/wx/animate.h
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ public:
                       wxAnimationType type = wxANIMATION_TYPE_ANY) = 0;
 
     virtual void SetAnimation(const wxAnimation &anim) = 0;
-    virtual wxAnimation GetAnimation() const = 0;
+    wxAnimation GetAnimation() const { return m_animation; }
 
     virtual bool Play() = 0;
     virtual void Stop() = 0;
@@ -121,8 +121,11 @@ protected:
     virtual wxAnimationImpl* DoCreateAnimationImpl() const = 0;
 
     // This method allows derived classes access to wxAnimation::GetImpl().
-    wxAnimationImpl* GetAnimImpl(const wxAnimation& anim) const
-        { return anim.GetImpl(); }
+    wxAnimationImpl* GetAnimImpl() const
+        { return m_animation.GetImpl(); }
+
+    // The associated animation, possibly invalid/empty.
+    wxAnimation m_animation;
 
     // the inactive bitmap as it was set by the user
     wxBitmap m_bmpStatic;
diff --git a/include/wx/generic/animate.h b/include/wx/generic/animate.h
index d8ed6799e9..7de8ac8190 100644
--- a/include/wx/generic/animate.h
+++ b/include/wx/generic/animate.h
@@ -58,8 +58,6 @@ public:
         { return m_isPlaying; }
 
     void SetAnimation(const wxAnimation &animation) wxOVERRIDE;
-    wxAnimation GetAnimation() const wxOVERRIDE
-        { return m_animation; }
 
     virtual void SetInactiveBitmap(const wxBitmap &bmp) wxOVERRIDE;
 
@@ -123,7 +121,6 @@ protected:
     unsigned int  m_currentFrame;     // Current frame
     bool          m_looped;           // Looped, or not
     wxTimer       m_timer;            // The timer
-    wxAnimation   m_animation;        // The animation
 
     bool          m_isPlaying;        // Is the animation playing?
     bool          m_useWinBackgroundColour; // Use animation bg colour or window bg colour?
diff --git a/src/generic/animateg.cpp b/src/generic/animateg.cpp
index 4947b064dd..ea772ac1eb 100644
--- a/src/generic/animateg.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/animateg.cpp
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ void wxGenericAnimationCtrl::OnSize(wxSizeEvent &WXUNUSED(event))
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // helpers to safely access wxAnimationGenericImpl methods
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#define ANIMATION (static_cast<wxAnimationGenericImpl*>(GetAnimImpl(m_animation)))
+#define ANIMATION (static_cast<wxAnimationGenericImpl*>(GetAnimImpl()))
 
 wxPoint wxGenericAnimationCtrl::AnimationImplGetFramePosition(unsigned int frame) const
 {
diff --git a/src/gtk/animate.cpp b/src/gtk/animate.cpp
index b8662acd86..d6e17a4f70 100644
--- a/src/gtk/animate.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/animate.cpp
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ void wxAnimationCtrl::OnTimer(wxTimerEvent& WXUNUSED(ev))
 
 
 // helpers to safely access wxAnimationGTKImpl methods
-#define ANIMATION (static_cast<wxAnimationGTKImpl*>(GetAnimImpl(m_animation)))
+#define ANIMATION (static_cast<wxAnimationGTKImpl*>(GetAnimImpl()))
 
 GdkPixbufAnimation* wxAnimationCtrl::AnimationImplGetPixbuf() const
 {