diff --git a/samples/printing/printing.cpp b/samples/printing/printing.cpp
index 682dac26c3..0050833cdc 100644
--- a/samples/printing/printing.cpp
+++ b/samples/printing/printing.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 
 #if wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
     #include "wx/graphics.h"
+    #include "wx/scopedptr.h"
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __WXMAC__
@@ -219,7 +220,7 @@ void MyApp::Draw(wxDC&dc)
         dc.DrawBitmap( m_bitmap, 10, 10 );
 
 #if wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
-    wxGraphicsContext *gc = wxGraphicsContext::CreateFromUnknownDC(dc);
+    wxScopedPtr<wxGraphicsContext> gc(wxGraphicsContext::CreateFromUnknownDC(dc));
 
     if (gc)
     {
@@ -243,12 +244,10 @@ void MyApp::Draw(wxDC&dc)
         gc->DrawText(text, 25.0, 60.0);
 
         // draw rectangle around the text
-        double w, h, d, el;
-        gc->GetTextExtent(text, &w, &h, &d, &el);
+        double w, h;
+        gc->GetTextExtent(text, &w, &h);
         gc->SetPen( *wxBLACK_PEN );
         gc->DrawRectangle(25.0, 60.0, w, h);
-
-        delete gc;
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/msw/graphics.cpp b/src/msw/graphics.cpp
index ebecbeb72a..4d201c7a9f 100644
--- a/src/msw/graphics.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/graphics.cpp
@@ -2111,33 +2111,40 @@ void wxGDIPlusContext::GetTextExtent( const wxString &str, wxDouble *width, wxDo
     wxCHECK_RET( !m_font.IsNull(), wxT("wxGDIPlusContext::GetTextExtent - no valid font set") );
 
     wxWCharBuffer s = str.wc_str( *wxConvUI );
-    FontFamily ffamily ;
     Font* f = ((wxGDIPlusFontData*)m_font.GetRefData())->GetGDIPlusFont();
 
-    f->GetFamily(&ffamily) ;
+    // Get the font metrics if we actually need them.
+    if ( descent || externalLeading || (height && str.empty()) )
+    {
+        FontFamily ffamily ;
+        f->GetFamily(&ffamily) ;
 
-    REAL factorY = m_fontScaleRatio;
+        REAL factorY = m_fontScaleRatio;
 
-    // Notice that we must use the real font style or the results would be
-    // incorrect for italic/bold fonts.
-    const INT style = f->GetStyle();
-    const REAL size = f->GetSize();
-    const REAL emHeight = ffamily.GetEmHeight(style);
-    REAL rDescent = ffamily.GetCellDescent(style) * size / emHeight;
-    REAL rAscent = ffamily.GetCellAscent(style) * size / emHeight;
-    REAL rHeight = ffamily.GetLineSpacing(style) * size / emHeight;
+        // Notice that we must use the real font style or the results would be
+        // incorrect for italic/bold fonts.
+        const INT style = f->GetStyle();
+        const REAL size = f->GetSize();
+        const REAL emHeight = ffamily.GetEmHeight(style);
+        REAL rDescent = ffamily.GetCellDescent(style) * size / emHeight;
+        REAL rAscent = ffamily.GetCellAscent(style) * size / emHeight;
+        REAL rHeight = ffamily.GetLineSpacing(style) * size / emHeight;
+
+        if ( height && str.empty() )
+            *height = rHeight * factorY;
+        if ( descent )
+            *descent = rDescent * factorY;
+        if ( externalLeading )
+            *externalLeading = (rHeight - rAscent - rDescent) * factorY;
+    }
 
-    if ( height )
-        *height = rHeight * factorY;
-    if ( descent )
-        *descent = rDescent * factorY;
-    if ( externalLeading )
-        *externalLeading = (rHeight - rAscent - rDescent) * factorY;
     // measuring empty strings is not guaranteed, so do it by hand
     if ( str.IsEmpty())
     {
         if ( width )
             *width = 0 ;
+
+        // Height already assigned above if necessary.
     }
     else
     {