diff --git a/include/wx/propgrid/advprops.h b/include/wx/propgrid/advprops.h
index 6d9802bde2..e3aa6dc6f0 100644
--- a/include/wx/propgrid/advprops.h
+++ b/include/wx/propgrid/advprops.h
@@ -346,7 +346,14 @@ public:
 protected:
     virtual bool DisplayEditorDialog(wxPropertyGrid* pg, wxVariant& value) wxOVERRIDE;
 
-    void GenerateValueAsString( wxVariant& value, wxString* target ) const;
+#if WXWIN_COMPATIBILITY_3_0
+    wxDEPRECATED_MSG("use function GenerateValueAsString(val) returning wxString")
+    void GenerateValueAsString( wxVariant& value, wxString* target ) const
+    {
+        *target = GenerateValueAsString(value);
+    }
+#endif // WXWIN_COMPATIBILITY_3_0
+    wxString GenerateValueAsString(const wxVariant& value) const;
 
     // Returns translation of values into string indices.
     wxArrayInt GetValueAsIndices() const;
diff --git a/interface/wx/propgrid/advprops.h b/interface/wx/propgrid/advprops.h
index f7a7571b0d..ca02d50001 100644
--- a/interface/wx/propgrid/advprops.h
+++ b/interface/wx/propgrid/advprops.h
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ public:
 protected:
     virtual bool DisplayEditorDialog(wxPropertyGrid* pg, wxVariant& value);
 
-    void GenerateValueAsString( wxVariant& value, wxString* target ) const;
+    wxString GenerateValueAsString(const wxVariant& value) const;
 
     // Returns translation of values into string indices.
     wxArrayInt GetValueAsIndices() const;
diff --git a/src/propgrid/advprops.cpp b/src/propgrid/advprops.cpp
index 8097b7e471..37bdd429c8 100644
--- a/src/propgrid/advprops.cpp
+++ b/src/propgrid/advprops.cpp
@@ -1966,7 +1966,7 @@ wxMultiChoiceProperty::~wxMultiChoiceProperty()
 
 void wxMultiChoiceProperty::OnSetValue()
 {
-    GenerateValueAsString(m_value, &m_display);
+    m_display = GenerateValueAsString(m_value);
 }
 
 wxString wxMultiChoiceProperty::ValueToString( wxVariant& value,
@@ -1976,35 +1976,30 @@ wxString wxMultiChoiceProperty::ValueToString( wxVariant& value,
     if ( argFlags & wxPG_VALUE_IS_CURRENT )
         return m_display;
 
-    wxString s;
-    GenerateValueAsString(value, &s);
-    return s;
+    return GenerateValueAsString(value);
 }
 
-void wxMultiChoiceProperty::GenerateValueAsString( wxVariant& value,
-                                                   wxString* target ) const
+wxString wxMultiChoiceProperty::GenerateValueAsString(const wxVariant& value) const
 {
     wxArrayString strings;
 
     if ( value.IsType(wxPG_VARIANT_TYPE_ARRSTRING) )
         strings = value.GetArrayString();
 
-    wxString& tempStr = *target;
+    const size_t itemCount = strings.size();
 
-    size_t itemCount = strings.size();
-
-    tempStr.Empty();
-
-    if ( itemCount )
-        tempStr.append( wxS("\"") );
+    wxString valStr;
 
     for ( size_t i = 0; i < itemCount; i++ )
     {
-        tempStr.append( strings[i] );
-        tempStr.append( wxS("\"") );
-        if ( i < (itemCount-1) )
-            tempStr.append ( wxS(" \"") );
+        valStr.append("\"");
+        valStr.append(strings[i]);
+        valStr.append("\"");
+        if ( i < (itemCount - 1) )
+            valStr.append(" ");
     }
+
+    return valStr;
 }
 
 wxArrayInt wxMultiChoiceProperty::GetValueAsIndices() const