diff --git a/include/wx/msw/textctrl.h b/include/wx/msw/textctrl.h
index e3b5fc68ad..316248cf09 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/textctrl.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/textctrl.h
@@ -252,6 +252,8 @@ protected:
     // code as to why this is needed)
     bool m_suppressNextUpdate;
 
+    virtual wxVisualAttributes GetDefaultAttributes() const;
+
 private:
     DECLARE_EVENT_TABLE()
     DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS_NO_COPY(wxTextCtrl)
diff --git a/src/msw/textctrl.cpp b/src/msw/textctrl.cpp
index 25aecb4bdf..210d3ecf59 100644
--- a/src/msw/textctrl.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/textctrl.cpp
@@ -2176,6 +2176,22 @@ bool wxTextCtrl::MSWOnNotify(int idCtrl, WXLPARAM lParam, WXLPARAM *result)
     return wxTextCtrlBase::MSWOnNotify(idCtrl, lParam, result);
 }
 
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// default colors for MSW text control
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+wxVisualAttributes wxTextCtrl::GetDefaultAttributes() const
+{
+    // it is important to return valid values for all attributes from here,
+    // GetXXX() below rely on this
+    wxVisualAttributes attrs;
+    attrs.font = wxSystemSettings::GetFont(wxSYS_DEFAULT_GUI_FONT);
+    attrs.colFg = wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_WINDOWTEXT);
+    attrs.colBg = wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_WINDOW);
+
+    return attrs;
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // colour setting for the rich edit controls
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------