diff --git a/include/wx/confbase.h b/include/wx/confbase.h
index 584d4de71c..4b06078b0e 100644
--- a/include/wx/confbase.h
+++ b/include/wx/confbase.h
@@ -188,7 +188,11 @@ public:
   virtual bool Write(const wxString& key, double value);
   virtual bool Write(const wxString& key, bool value);
 
-    // permanently writes all changes
+  // we have to provide a separate version for C strings as otherwise they
+  // would be converted to bool and not to wxString as expected!
+  virtual bool Write(const wxString& key, const wxChar *value);
+
+  // permanently writes all changes
   virtual bool Flush(bool bCurrentOnly = FALSE) = 0;
 
   // renaming, all functions return FALSE on failure (probably because the new
diff --git a/src/common/config.cpp b/src/common/config.cpp
index 129c866e99..d2015ed568 100644
--- a/src/common/config.cpp
+++ b/src/common/config.cpp
@@ -206,6 +206,12 @@ bool wxConfigBase::Write(const wxString& key, bool value)
     return Write(key, value ? 1l : 0l);
 }
 
+bool wxConfigBase::Write(const wxString& key, const wxChar *value)
+{
+    // explicit cast needed, otherwise value would have been converted to bool
+    return Write(key, wxString(value));
+}
+
 wxString wxConfigBase::ExpandEnvVars(const wxString& str) const
 {
     wxString tmp; // Required for BC++