diff --git a/include/wx/msw/brush.h b/include/wx/msw/brush.h
index ccc307e118..842e259d27 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/brush.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/brush.h
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ public:
 
     bool Ok() const { return m_refData != NULL; }
 
-    // create (if necessary) and return the HBRUSH for this brush
-    WXHBRUSH GetResourceHandle() const;
+    // return the HBRUSH for this brush
+    virtual WXHANDLE GetResourceHandle() const;
 
 protected:
     virtual wxObjectRefData *CreateRefData() const;
diff --git a/include/wx/msw/gdiimage.h b/include/wx/msw/gdiimage.h
index 0dca4c7931..3bf601dda4 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/gdiimage.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/gdiimage.h
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ public:
 
     // forward some of base class virtuals to wxGDIImageRefData
     bool FreeResource(bool force = FALSE);
-    virtual WXHANDLE GetResourceHandle();
+    virtual WXHANDLE GetResourceHandle() const;
 
 protected:
     // create the data for the derived class here
diff --git a/include/wx/msw/gdiobj.h b/include/wx/msw/gdiobj.h
index e7285541d1..7ea71fbec2 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/gdiobj.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/gdiobj.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public:
     bool IsNull() const { return (m_refData == 0); }
 
     // Returns handle.
-    virtual WXHANDLE GetResourceHandle() { return 0; }
+    virtual WXHANDLE GetResourceHandle() const { return 0; }
 
     virtual bool GetVisible() { return m_visible; }
     virtual void SetVisible(bool v) { m_visible = v; }
diff --git a/include/wx/msw/pen.h b/include/wx/msw/pen.h
index 3c56bdaa70..a653d39db0 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/pen.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/pen.h
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public:
   // Internal
   bool RealizeResource();
   bool FreeResource(bool force = FALSE);
-  WXHANDLE GetResourceHandle() ;
+  WXHANDLE GetResourceHandle() const;
   bool IsFree() const;
   void Unshare();
 };
diff --git a/src/msw/brush.cpp b/src/msw/brush.cpp
index c201a55748..e47a77f3b1 100644
--- a/src/msw/brush.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/brush.cpp
@@ -293,11 +293,11 @@ wxBitmap *wxBrush::GetStipple() const
     return M_BRUSHDATA->GetStipple();
 }
 
-WXHBRUSH wxBrush::GetResourceHandle() const
+WXHANDLE wxBrush::GetResourceHandle() const
 {
     wxCHECK_MSG( Ok(), FALSE, _T("invalid brush") );
 
-    return (WXHBRUSH)M_BRUSHDATA->GetHBRUSH();
+    return (WXHANDLE)M_BRUSHDATA->GetHBRUSH();
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp b/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
index 28af1ffac1..1b5000fa5e 100644
--- a/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ bool wxGDIImage::FreeResource(bool WXUNUSED(force))
     return TRUE;
 }
 
-WXHANDLE wxGDIImage::GetResourceHandle()
+WXHANDLE wxGDIImage::GetResourceHandle() const
 {
     return GetHandle();
 }
diff --git a/src/msw/pen.cpp b/src/msw/pen.cpp
index 599d747603..993af83b62 100644
--- a/src/msw/pen.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/pen.cpp
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ bool wxPen::RealizeResource()
     return FALSE;
 }
 
-WXHANDLE wxPen::GetResourceHandle()
+WXHANDLE wxPen::GetResourceHandle() const
 {
         if ( !M_PENDATA )
                 return 0;