diff --git a/src/common/combocmn.cpp b/src/common/combocmn.cpp
index 37f95e0466..67d3100dca 100644
--- a/src/common/combocmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/combocmn.cpp
@@ -1621,13 +1621,13 @@ void wxComboCtrlBase::OnKeyEvent(wxKeyEvent& event)
     {
         int keycode = event.GetKeyCode();
 
-        if ( GetParent()->HasFlag(wxTAB_TRAVERSAL) &&
+        wxWindow* mainCtrl = GetMainWindowOfCompositeControl();
+
+        if ( mainCtrl->GetParent()->HasFlag(wxTAB_TRAVERSAL) &&
              keycode == WXK_TAB )
         {
             wxNavigationKeyEvent evt;
 
-            wxWindow* mainCtrl = GetMainWindowOfCompositeControl();
-
             evt.SetFlags(wxNavigationKeyEvent::FromTab|
                          (!event.ShiftDown() ? wxNavigationKeyEvent::IsForward
                                              : wxNavigationKeyEvent::IsBackward));