diff --git a/include/wx/msw/statbmp.h b/include/wx/msw/statbmp.h
index 990483d06a..1e88548995 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/statbmp.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/statbmp.h
@@ -90,9 +90,6 @@ private:
     // HICON (which can be 0) and destroy the previous image if necessary.
     void MSWReplaceImageHandle(WXLPARAM handle);
 
-    // Delete the current handle only if we own it.
-    void DeleteCurrentHandleIfNeeded();
-
 
     wxDECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxStaticBitmap);
     wxDECLARE_EVENT_TABLE();
diff --git a/src/msw/statbmp.cpp b/src/msw/statbmp.cpp
index 29cacc6b5c..4c6d7cc2a1 100644
--- a/src/msw/statbmp.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/statbmp.cpp
@@ -191,20 +191,15 @@ void wxStaticBitmap::Init()
     m_ownsCurrentHandle = false;
 }
 
-void wxStaticBitmap::DeleteCurrentHandleIfNeeded()
+void wxStaticBitmap::Free()
 {
+    MSWReplaceImageHandle(0);
+
     if ( m_ownsCurrentHandle )
     {
         ::DeleteObject(m_currentHandle);
         m_ownsCurrentHandle = false;
     }
-}
-
-void wxStaticBitmap::Free()
-{
-    MSWReplaceImageHandle(0);
-
-    DeleteCurrentHandleIfNeeded();
 
     wxDELETE(m_image);
 }