diff --git a/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h b/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h
index b5469627d6..7778969adc 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public:
     void SetHENHMETAFILE(WXHANDLE hMF) { Free(); m_hMF = hMF; }
 
 protected:
-    void Init() { m_hMF = 0; }
+    void Init();
     void Free();
     void Assign(const wxEnhMetaFile& mf);
 
diff --git a/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp b/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp
index 1767d356f2..cbb8acc6bf 100644
--- a/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,21 @@ static inline const wxChar *GetMetaFileName(const wxString& fn)
 // wxEnhMetaFile
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+void wxEnhMetaFile::Init()
+{
+    if ( m_filename.empty() )
+    {
+        m_hMF = 0;
+    }
+    else // have valid file name, load metafile from it
+    {
+        m_hMF = GetEnhMetaFile(m_filename);
+        if ( !m_hMF )
+            wxLogSysError(_("Failed to load metafile from file \"%s\"."),
+                          m_filename.c_str());
+    }
+}
+
 void wxEnhMetaFile::Assign(const wxEnhMetaFile& mf)
 {
     if ( &mf == this )