diff --git a/include/wx/generic/srchctlg.h b/include/wx/generic/srchctlg.h
index 67d0c99ca2..188a92aa2e 100644
--- a/include/wx/generic/srchctlg.h
+++ b/include/wx/generic/srchctlg.h
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ public:
     // operations
     // ----------
 
+    virtual void ChangeValue(const wxString& value) wxOVERRIDE;
+
     // editing
     virtual void Clear() wxOVERRIDE;
     virtual void Replace(long from, long to, const wxString& value) wxOVERRIDE;
diff --git a/src/generic/srchctlg.cpp b/src/generic/srchctlg.cpp
index 01acd68ea9..93b2321b05 100644
--- a/src/generic/srchctlg.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/srchctlg.cpp
@@ -915,6 +915,14 @@ wxTextCtrl& operator<<(double d);
 wxTextCtrl& operator<<(const wxChar c);
 #endif
 
+// Note that overriding DoSetValue() is currently insufficient because the base
+// class ChangeValue() only updates m_hintData of this object (which is null
+// anyhow), instead of updating m_text->m_hintData, see #16998.
+void wxSearchCtrl::ChangeValue(const wxString& value)
+{
+    m_text->ChangeValue(value);
+}
+
 void wxSearchCtrl::DoSetValue(const wxString& value, int flags)
 {
     m_text->DoSetValue(value, flags);