diff --git a/include/wx/generic/dvrenderer.h b/include/wx/generic/dvrenderer.h
index 59e8a5782d..3abf273181 100644
--- a/include/wx/generic/dvrenderer.h
+++ b/include/wx/generic/dvrenderer.h
@@ -47,12 +47,24 @@ public:
     // intentionally returns NULL for all the other renderer classes as the
     // user should _not_ be able to override Activate/LeftClick() when deriving
     // from them for consistency with the other ports and while we can't
-    // prevent this from working at compile-time because all renderer are
+    // prevent this from working at compile-time because all renderers are
     // custom renderers in the generic implementation, we at least make sure
     // that it doesn't work at run-time because Activate/LeftClick() would
     // never be called
     virtual wxDataViewCustomRenderer *WXGetAsCustom() { return NULL; }
 
+    // The generic implementation of some standard renderers reacts to item
+    // activation, so provide this internal function which is called by
+    // wxDataViewCtrl for them. It is called with the old value of the cell and
+    // is passed the model and cell coordinates to be able to change the model
+    // value for this cell.
+    virtual void WXOnActivate(wxDataViewModel * WXUNUSED(model),
+                              const wxVariant& WXUNUSED(valueOld),
+                              const wxDataViewItem& WXUNUSED(item),
+                              unsigned int WXUNUSED(col))
+    {
+    }
+
 private:
     int                          m_align;
     wxDataViewCellMode           m_mode;
diff --git a/include/wx/generic/dvrenderers.h b/include/wx/generic/dvrenderers.h
index 3ebe0d0f3e..62670c787b 100644
--- a/include/wx/generic/dvrenderers.h
+++ b/include/wx/generic/dvrenderers.h
@@ -100,10 +100,13 @@ public:
     bool GetValue( wxVariant &value ) const;
 
     bool Render( wxRect cell, wxDC *dc, int state );
-    bool Activate( wxRect cell, wxDataViewModel *model, const wxDataViewItem & item,
-                            unsigned int col );
     wxSize GetSize() const;
 
+    // Implementation only, don't use nor override
+    virtual void WXOnActivate(wxDataViewModel *model,
+                              const wxVariant& valueOld,
+                              const wxDataViewItem& item,
+                              unsigned int col);
 private:
     bool    m_toggle;
 
@@ -182,10 +185,12 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool Render( wxRect cell, wxDC *dc, int state );
     virtual wxSize GetSize() const;
-    virtual bool Activate( wxRect cell,
-                           wxDataViewModel *model,
-                           const wxDataViewItem& item,
-                           unsigned int col );
+
+    // Implementation only, don't use nor override
+    virtual void WXOnActivate(wxDataViewModel *model,
+                              const wxVariant& valueOld,
+                              const wxDataViewItem& item,
+                              unsigned int col);
 
 private:
     wxDateTime    m_date;
diff --git a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
index 0823c1752b..dc1bf273c0 100644
--- a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
@@ -844,12 +844,12 @@ bool wxDataViewToggleRenderer::Render( wxRect cell, wxDC *dc, int WXUNUSED(state
     return true;
 }
 
-bool wxDataViewToggleRenderer::Activate( wxRect WXUNUSED(cell),
-                                        wxDataViewModel *model,
-                                        const wxDataViewItem & item, unsigned int col)
+void wxDataViewToggleRenderer::WXOnActivate(wxDataViewModel *model,
+                                            const wxVariant& valueOld,
+                                            const wxDataViewItem & item,
+                                            unsigned int col)
 {
-    model->ChangeValue(!m_toggle, item, col);
-    return true;
+    model->ChangeValue(!valueOld.GetBool(), item, col);
 }
 
 wxSize wxDataViewToggleRenderer::GetSize() const
@@ -1005,24 +1005,23 @@ wxSize wxDataViewDateRenderer::GetSize() const
     return wxSize(x,y+d);
 }
 
-bool wxDataViewDateRenderer::Activate( wxRect WXUNUSED(cell), wxDataViewModel *model,
-                                    const wxDataViewItem & item, unsigned int col )
+void wxDataViewDateRenderer::WXOnActivate(wxDataViewModel *model,
+                                          const wxVariant& valueOld,
+                                          const wxDataViewItem & item,
+                                          unsigned int col )
 {
-    wxVariant variant;
-    model->GetValue( variant, item, col );
-    wxDateTime value = variant.GetDateTime();
+    wxDateTime dtOld = valueOld.GetDateTime();
 
 #if wxUSE_DATE_RENDERER_POPUP
     wxDataViewDateRendererPopupTransient *popup = new wxDataViewDateRendererPopupTransient(
-        GetOwner()->GetOwner()->GetParent(), &value, model, item, col);
+        GetOwner()->GetOwner()->GetParent(), &dtOld, model, item, col);
     wxPoint pos = wxGetMousePosition();
     popup->Move( pos );
     popup->Layout();
     popup->Popup( popup->m_cal );
 #else // !wxUSE_DATE_RENDERER_POPUP
-    wxMessageBox(value.Format());
+    wxMessageBox(dtOld.Format());
 #endif // wxUSE_DATE_RENDERER_POPUP/!wxUSE_DATE_RENDERER_POPUP
-    return true;
 }
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------
@@ -3585,14 +3584,20 @@ void wxDataViewMainWindow::OnMouse( wxMouseEvent &event )
         {
             if ((!ignore_other_columns) && (cell->GetMode() == wxDATAVIEW_CELL_ACTIVATABLE))
             {
+                const unsigned colIdx = col->GetModelColumn();
+
+                wxVariant value;
+                model->GetValue( value, item, colIdx );
+
+                cell->WXOnActivate(model, value, item, colIdx);
+
                 if ( wxDataViewCustomRenderer *custom = cell->WXGetAsCustom() )
                 {
-                    wxVariant value;
-                    model->GetValue( value, item, col->GetModelColumn() );
-                    custom->SetValue( value );
+                    cell->SetValue( value );
+
                     wxRect cell_rect( xpos, GetLineStart( current ),
                                     col->GetWidth(), GetLineHeight( current ) );
-                    custom->Activate( cell_rect, model, item, col->GetModelColumn() );
+                    custom->Activate( cell_rect, model, item, colIdx );
                 }
             }
             else