diff --git a/wxPython/src/controls2.i b/wxPython/src/controls2.i
index 67278c97d0..945533fe2d 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/controls2.i
+++ b/wxPython/src/controls2.i
@@ -410,7 +410,9 @@ public:
     }
 
     void SetData(PyObject* obj) {
+        bool doSave = wxPyRestoreThread();
         Py_DECREF(m_obj);
+        wxPySaveThread(doSave);
         m_obj = obj;
         Py_INCREF(obj);
     }
diff --git a/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp b/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp
index 131d387c9c..6d0cb21730 100644
--- a/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp
+++ b/wxPython/src/helpers.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ PyObject* __wxStart(PyObject* /* self */, PyObject* args)
     char** argv = new char*[argc+1];
     int x;
     for(x=0; x<argc; x++)
-        argv[x] = PyString_AsString(PyList_GetItem(sysargv, x));
+        argv[x] = copystring(PyString_AsString(PyList_GetItem(sysargv, x)));
     argv[argc] = NULL;
 
     wxPythonApp->argc = argc;