diff --git a/include/wx/dc.h b/include/wx/dc.h
index aa5110066d..4981bda64a 100644
--- a/include/wx/dc.h
+++ b/include/wx/dc.h
@@ -1199,7 +1199,50 @@ public:
 #endif  // WXWIN_COMPATIBILITY_2_8
 
 #ifdef __WXMSW__
+    // GetHDC() is the simplest way to retrieve an HDC From a wxDC but only
+    // works if this wxDC is GDI-based and fails for GDI+ contexts (and
+    // anything else without HDC, e.g. wxPostScriptDC)
     WXHDC GetHDC() const;
+
+    // don't use these methods manually, use GetTempHDC() instead
+    virtual WXHDC AcquireHDC() { return GetHDC(); }
+    virtual void ReleaseHDC(WXHDC WXUNUSED(hdc)) { }
+
+    // helper class holding the result of GetTempHDC() with std::auto_ptr<>-like
+    // semantics, i.e. it is moved when copied
+    class TempHDC
+    {
+    public:
+        TempHDC(wxDC& dc)
+            : m_dc(dc),
+              m_hdc(dc.AcquireHDC())
+        {
+        }
+
+        TempHDC(const TempHDC& thdc)
+            : m_dc(thdc.m_dc),
+              m_hdc(thdc.m_hdc)
+        {
+            const_cast<TempHDC&>(thdc).m_hdc = 0;
+        }
+
+        ~TempHDC()
+        {
+            if ( m_hdc )
+                m_dc.ReleaseHDC(m_hdc);
+        }
+
+        WXHDC GetHDC() const { return m_hdc; }
+
+    private:
+        wxDC& m_dc;
+        WXHDC m_hdc;
+
+        wxDECLARE_NO_ASSIGN_CLASS(TempHDC);
+    };
+
+    // GetTempHDC() also works for wxGCDC (but still not for wxPostScriptDC &c)
+    TempHDC GetTempHDC() { return TempHDC(*this); }
 #endif // __WXMSW__
 
 protected:
diff --git a/include/wx/dcgraph.h b/include/wx/dcgraph.h
index de977b7577..a5c7e6ff97 100644
--- a/include/wx/dcgraph.h
+++ b/include/wx/dcgraph.h
@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@ public:
     wxGraphicsContext* GetGraphicsContext();
     void SetGraphicsContext( wxGraphicsContext* ctx );
 
+#ifdef __WXMSW__
+    // override wxDC virtual functions to provide access to HDC associated with
+    // this Graphics object (implemented in src/msw/graphics.cpp)
+    virtual WXHDC AcquireHDC();
+    virtual void ReleaseHDC(WXHDC hdc);
+#endif // __WXMSW__
+
+private:
     DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxGCDC)
     wxDECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxGCDC);
 };
diff --git a/src/msw/graphics.cpp b/src/msw/graphics.cpp
index 6562a8a55e..71ef3d4a34 100644
--- a/src/msw/graphics.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/graphics.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "wx/private/graphics.h"
 #include "wx/msw/wrapgdip.h"
 #include "wx/msw/dc.h"
+#include "wx/dcgraph.h"
 
 #include "wx/stack.h"
 
@@ -1850,4 +1851,32 @@ private:
 
 IMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxGDIPlusRendererModule, wxModule)
 
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// wxMSW-specific parts of wxGCDC
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+WXHDC wxGCDC::AcquireHDC()
+{
+    wxGraphicsContext * const gc = GetGraphicsContext();
+    if ( !gc )
+        return NULL;
+
+    Graphics * const g = static_cast<Graphics *>(gc->GetNativeContext());
+    return g ? g->GetHDC() : NULL;
+}
+
+void wxGCDC::ReleaseHDC(WXHDC hdc)
+{
+    if ( !hdc )
+        return;
+
+    wxGraphicsContext * const gc = GetGraphicsContext();
+    wxCHECK_RET( gc, "can't release HDC because there is no wxGraphicsContext" );
+
+    Graphics * const g = static_cast<Graphics *>(gc->GetNativeContext());
+    wxCHECK_RET( g, "can't release HDC because there is no Graphics" );
+
+    g->ReleaseHDC((HDC)hdc);
+}
+
 #endif  // wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
diff --git a/src/msw/renderer.cpp b/src/msw/renderer.cpp
index dab3795115..6ae0300275 100644
--- a/src/msw/renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/renderer.cpp
@@ -35,24 +35,8 @@
 #include "wx/splitter.h"
 #include "wx/renderer.h"
 #include "wx/msw/private.h"
-#include "wx/msw/dc.h"
 #include "wx/msw/uxtheme.h"
 
-#if wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
-// TODO remove this dependency (gdiplus needs the macros)
-#ifndef max
-#define max(a,b)            (((a) > (b)) ? (a) : (b))
-#endif
-
-#ifndef min
-#define min(a,b)            (((a) < (b)) ? (a) : (b))
-#endif
-
-#include "wx/dcgraph.h"
-#include "gdiplus.h"
-using namespace Gdiplus;
-#endif // wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
-
 // tmschema.h is in Win32 Platform SDK and might not be available with earlier
 // compilers
 #ifndef CP_DROPDOWNBUTTON
@@ -110,45 +94,6 @@ using namespace Gdiplus;
     #define TMT_EDGEFILLCOLOR   3808
 #endif
 
-
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// If the DC is a wxGCDC then pull out the HDC from the GraphicsContext when
-// it is needed, and handle the Release when done.
-
-class GraphicsHDC
-{
-public:
-    GraphicsHDC(wxDC* dc)
-    {
-#if wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
-        m_graphics = NULL;
-        wxGCDC* gcdc = wxDynamicCast(dc, wxGCDC);
-        if (gcdc) {
-            m_graphics = (Graphics*)gcdc->GetGraphicsContext()->GetNativeContext();
-            m_hdc = m_graphics->GetHDC();
-        }
-        else
-#endif
-            m_hdc = GetHdcOf(*((wxMSWDCImpl*)dc->GetImpl()));
-    }
-
-    ~GraphicsHDC()
-    {
-#if wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
-        if (m_graphics)
-            m_graphics->ReleaseHDC(m_hdc);
-#endif
-    }
-
-    operator HDC() const { return m_hdc; }
-
-private:
-    HDC         m_hdc;
-#if wxUSE_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT
-    Graphics*   m_graphics;
-#endif
-};
-
 #if defined(__WXWINCE__)
     #ifndef DFCS_FLAT
         #define DFCS_FLAT 0
@@ -345,7 +290,7 @@ void wxRendererMSWBase::DrawFocusRect(wxWindow * WXUNUSED(win),
     RECT rc;
     wxCopyRectToRECT(rect, rc);
 
-    ::DrawFocusRect(GraphicsHDC(&dc), &rc);
+    ::DrawFocusRect(GetHdcOf(dc.GetTempHDC()), &rc);
 }
 
 void wxRendererMSWBase::DrawItemSelectionRect(wxWindow *win,
@@ -418,7 +363,7 @@ wxRendererMSW::DrawComboBoxDropButton(wxWindow * WXUNUSED(win),
     if ( flags & wxCONTROL_PRESSED )
         style |= DFCS_PUSHED | DFCS_FLAT;
 
-    ::DrawFrameControl(GraphicsHDC(&dc), &r, DFC_SCROLL, style);
+    ::DrawFrameControl(GetHdcOf(dc.GetTempHDC()), &r, DFC_SCROLL, style);
 }
 
 void
@@ -443,7 +388,7 @@ wxRendererMSW::DoDrawButton(UINT kind,
     if ( flags & wxCONTROL_CURRENT )
         style |= DFCS_HOT;
 
-    ::DrawFrameControl(GraphicsHDC(&dc), &r, DFC_BUTTON, style);
+    ::DrawFrameControl(GetHdcOf(dc.GetTempHDC()), &r, DFC_BUTTON, style);
 }
 
 void
@@ -602,7 +547,7 @@ wxRendererXP::DrawComboBoxDropButton(wxWindow * win,
     wxUxThemeEngine::Get()->DrawThemeBackground
                             (
                                 hTheme,
-                                GetHdcOf(*((wxMSWDCImpl*)dc.GetImpl())),
+                                GetHdcOf(dc.GetTempHDC()),
                                 CP_DROPDOWNBUTTON,
                                 state,
                                 &r,
@@ -638,7 +583,7 @@ wxRendererXP::DrawHeaderButton(wxWindow *win,
     wxUxThemeEngine::Get()->DrawThemeBackground
                             (
                                 hTheme,
-                                GetHdcOf(*((wxMSWDCImpl*)dc.GetImpl())),
+                                GetHdcOf(dc.GetTempHDC()),
                                 HP_HEADERITEM,
                                 state,
                                 &r,
@@ -674,7 +619,7 @@ wxRendererXP::DrawTreeItemButton(wxWindow *win,
     wxUxThemeEngine::Get()->DrawThemeBackground
                             (
                                 hTheme,
-                                GetHdcOf(*((wxMSWDCImpl*)dc.GetImpl())),
+                                GetHdcOf(dc.GetTempHDC()),
                                 TVP_GLYPH,
                                 state,
                                 &r,
@@ -748,7 +693,7 @@ wxRendererXP::DoDrawXPButton(int kind,
     wxUxThemeEngine::Get()->DrawThemeBackground
                             (
                                 hTheme,
-                                GetHdcOf(*((wxMSWDCImpl*)dc.GetImpl())),
+                                GetHdcOf(dc.GetTempHDC()),
                                 kind,
                                 state,
                                 &r,