diff --git a/wxPython/docs/CHANGES.txt b/wxPython/docs/CHANGES.txt
index 5d82aa0f03..350aa5dbe5 100644
--- a/wxPython/docs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/wxPython/docs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -50,9 +50,19 @@ a very small amount of overhead and removes several unneccessary
 problems.
 
 Replaced wx/lib/pubsub.py with a version that uses weak references to
-track the subscribers.  Thanks go to Oliver Schoenborn and Robb
-Shecter.
+track the subscribers, plus other fixes/additions.  Thanks go to
+Oliver Schoenborn and Robb Shecter.
 
+wxGTK now uses gtk_init_check so wxPython can raise an exception if
+there is no DISPLAY available or other initializaion problem.
+
+wx.GetKeyState now has an implementation for wxGTK and is able to
+detect the up/down or toggle state of modifier and toggle keys.
+
+The LC_NUMERIC locale is now reset back to "C" (compatibility) when
+running on wxGTK to work around the fact that GTK requires the locale
+to be set to the system settings but Python depends on LC_NUMERIC
+remaining compatible with "C".
 
 
 
diff --git a/wxPython/src/_functions.i b/wxPython/src/_functions.i
index aa33a105b9..88a1d05b6b 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/_functions.i
+++ b/wxPython/src/_functions.i
@@ -209,17 +209,11 @@ wxWindow* wxGetTopLevelParent(wxWindow *win);
 
 
 
-#if defined(__WXMSW__) || defined(__WXMAC__)
+
 // Get the state of a key (true if pressed, false if not)
 // This is generally most useful getting the state of
-// Caps Lock, Num Lock and Scroll Lock...
+// the modifier or toggle keys.
 bool wxGetKeyState(wxKeyCode key);
-#else
-%inline %{
-    bool wxGetKeyState(wxKeyCode key)
-        {  wxPyRaiseNotImplemented(); return False; }
-%}
-#endif
 
 
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/wxPython/src/_intl_ex.py b/wxPython/src/_intl_ex.py
index bfab10096f..b58b4e936b 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/_intl_ex.py
+++ b/wxPython/src/_intl_ex.py
@@ -1,14 +1,5 @@
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# wxGTK sets the locale when initialized.  Doing this at the Python
-# level should set it up to match what GTK is doing at the C level.
-if wx.Platform == "__WXGTK__":
-    try:
-        import locale
-        locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, "")
-    except:
-        pass
-
-# On MSW add the directory where the wxWindows catalogs were installed
+# On MSW add the directory where the wxWidgets catalogs were installed
 # to the default catalog path.
 if wx.Platform == "__WXMSW__":
     import os
diff --git a/wxPython/src/gtk/_gdi.py b/wxPython/src/gtk/_gdi.py
index 0a28e7f869..3389d24ae4 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/gtk/_gdi.py
+++ b/wxPython/src/gtk/_gdi.py
@@ -2306,16 +2306,16 @@ def EncodingConverter_CanConvert(*args, **kwargs):
     return _gdi_.EncodingConverter_CanConvert(*args, **kwargs)
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# wxGTK sets the locale when initialized.  Doing this at the Python
-# level should set it up to match what GTK is doing at the C level.
-if wx.Platform == "__WXGTK__":
-    try:
-        import locale
-        locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, "")
-    except:
-        pass
+## # wxGTK sets the locale when initialized.  Doing this at the Python
+## # level should set it up to match what GTK is doing at the C level.
+## if wx.Platform == "__WXGTK__":
+##     try:
+##         import locale
+##         locale.setlocale(locale.LC_ALL, "")
+##     except:
+##         pass
 
-# On MSW add the directory where the wxWindows catalogs were installed
+# On MSW add the directory where the wxWidgets catalogs were installed
 # to the default catalog path.
 if wx.Platform == "__WXMSW__":
     import os
diff --git a/wxPython/src/gtk/_misc_wrap.cpp b/wxPython/src/gtk/_misc_wrap.cpp
index 29ec1693e5..b855dc5cdf 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/gtk/_misc_wrap.cpp
+++ b/wxPython/src/gtk/_misc_wrap.cpp
@@ -527,10 +527,6 @@ SWIG_FromUnsignedLong(unsigned long value)
 }
 
 
-    bool wxGetKeyState(wxKeyCode key)
-        {  wxPyRaiseNotImplemented(); return False; }
-
-
     void wxWakeUpMainThread() {}
 
 
diff --git a/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp b/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp
index 13f96f4dbd..c08d287265 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp
+++ b/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <gdk/gdkprivate.h>
 #include <wx/gtk/win_gtk.h>
 #define GetXWindow(wxwin)   GDK_WINDOW_XWINDOW((wxwin)->m_widget->window)
+#include <locale.h>
 #endif
 
 #ifdef __WXX11__
@@ -398,15 +399,28 @@ void wxPyApp::_BootstrapApp()
     }
     wxPyEndBlockThreads(blocked);
 
+    // Initialize wxWidgets
     result = wxEntryStart(argc, argv);
     delete [] argv;
 
     blocked = wxPyBeginBlockThreads();
     if (! result)  {
-        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, "wxEntryStart failed!");
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError,
+                        "wxEntryStart failed, unable to initialize wxWidgets!"
+#ifdef __WXGTK__
+                        "  (Is DISPLAY set properly?)"
+#endif
+            );
         goto error;
     }
 
+    // On wxGTK the locale will be changed to match the system settings, but
+    // Python needs to have LC_NUMERIC set to "C" in order for the floating
+    // point conversions and such to work right.
+#ifdef __WXGTK__
+    setlocale(LC_NUMERIC, "C");
+#endif
+    
     // The stock objects were all NULL when they were loaded into
     // SWIG generated proxies, so re-init those now...
     wxPy_ReinitStockObjects(3);
@@ -437,7 +451,6 @@ void wxPyApp::_BootstrapApp()
         result = True;
     }
 
-
     if (! result) {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemExit, "OnInit returned False, exiting...");
     }