diff --git a/include/wx/msw/apptbase.h b/include/wx/msw/apptbase.h
index 2442bf3b61..c6d6ce4b45 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/apptbase.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/apptbase.h
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ public:
     // write text to the console, return true if ok or false on error
     virtual bool WriteToStderr(const wxString& text) = 0;
 
+    // return the main application window or 0 if none
+    virtual WXHWND GetMainHWND() const = 0;
+
 protected:
 #if wxUSE_THREADS
     // implementation of WaitForThread() for the console applications which is
diff --git a/include/wx/msw/apptrait.h b/include/wx/msw/apptrait.h
index 4d6c29abc4..30a61d4f31 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/apptrait.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/apptrait.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ public:
 #endif // wxUSE_THREADS
     virtual bool CanUseStderr() wxOVERRIDE { return true; }
     virtual bool WriteToStderr(const wxString& text) wxOVERRIDE;
+    virtual WXHWND GetMainHWND() const wxOVERRIDE { return NULL; }
 };
 
 #if wxUSE_GUI
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool CanUseStderr() wxOVERRIDE;
     virtual bool WriteToStderr(const wxString& text) wxOVERRIDE;
+    virtual WXHWND GetMainHWND() const wxOVERRIDE;
 };
 
 #elif defined(__WXGTK__)
@@ -85,6 +87,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool CanUseStderr() { return false; }
     virtual bool WriteToStderr(const wxString& WXUNUSED(text)) { return false; }
+    virtual WXHWND GetMainHWND() const wxOVERRIDE { return NULL; }
 };
 
 #elif defined(__WXQT__)
@@ -110,6 +113,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool CanUseStderr() { return false; }
     virtual bool WriteToStderr(const wxString&) { return false; }
+    virtual WXHWND GetMainHWND() const wxOVERRIDE { return NULL; }
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/common/log.cpp b/src/common/log.cpp
index 3bf1c33d40..8122b7d9e2 100644
--- a/src/common/log.cpp
+++ b/src/common/log.cpp
@@ -183,7 +183,9 @@ private:
 void wxSafeShowMessage(const wxString& title, const wxString& text)
 {
 #ifdef __WINDOWS__
-    ::MessageBox(NULL, text.t_str(), title.t_str(), MB_OK | MB_ICONSTOP);
+    const wxAppTraits* const traits = wxApp::GetTraitsIfExists();
+    ::MessageBox(traits ? traits->GetMainHWND() : NULL,
+                 text.t_str(), title.t_str(), MB_OK | MB_ICONSTOP);
 #else
     wxFprintf(stderr, wxS("%s: %s\n"), title.c_str(), text.c_str());
     fflush(stderr);
diff --git a/src/msw/app.cpp b/src/msw/app.cpp
index 17adabf9a8..d8b19f0295 100644
--- a/src/msw/app.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/app.cpp
@@ -603,6 +603,12 @@ bool wxGUIAppTraits::WriteToStderr(const wxString& WXUNUSED(text))
 
 #endif // wxUSE_DYNLIB_CLASS/!wxUSE_DYNLIB_CLASS
 
+WXHWND wxGUIAppTraits::GetMainHWND() const
+{
+    const wxWindow* const w = wxApp::GetMainTopWindow();
+    return w ? w->GetHWND() : NULL;
+}
+
 // ===========================================================================
 // wxApp implementation
 // ===========================================================================