diff --git a/include/wx/msw/bitmap.h b/include/wx/msw/bitmap.h
index 9b76b55036..555d7f801c 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/bitmap.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/bitmap.h
@@ -201,6 +201,8 @@ public:
 public:
     void SetHBITMAP(WXHBITMAP bmp) { SetHandle((WXHANDLE)bmp); }
     WXHBITMAP GetHBITMAP() const { return (WXHBITMAP)GetHandle(); }
+    bool InitFromHBITMAP(WXHBITMAP bmp, int width, int height, int depth);
+    void ResetHBITMAP() { InitFromHBITMAP(NULL, 0, 0, 0); }
 
     void SetSelectedInto(wxDC *dc);
     wxDC *GetSelectedInto() const;
diff --git a/src/msw/bitmap.cpp b/src/msw/bitmap.cpp
index e68e85bfac..02611aade2 100644
--- a/src/msw/bitmap.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/bitmap.cpp
@@ -1290,6 +1290,34 @@ void wxBitmap::SetMask(wxMask *mask)
     GetBitmapData()->SetMask(mask);
 }
 
+bool wxBitmap::InitFromHBITMAP(WXHBITMAP bmp, int width, int height, int depth)
+{
+#if wxDEBUG_LEVEL >= 2
+    if ( bmp != NULL )
+    {
+        BITMAP bm;
+        if ( ::GetObject(bmp, sizeof(bm), &bm) == sizeof(bm) )
+        {
+            wxASSERT_MSG(bm.bmWidth == width && bm.bmHeight == height && bm.bmBitsPixel == depth,
+                         wxS("Inconsistent bitmap parameters"));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            wxFAIL_MSG(wxS("Cannot retrieve parameters of the bitmap"));
+        }
+    }
+#endif // wxDEBUG_LEVEL >= 2
+
+    AllocExclusive();
+
+    GetBitmapData()->m_handle = (WXHANDLE)bmp;
+    GetBitmapData()->m_width = width;
+    GetBitmapData()->m_height = height;
+    GetBitmapData()->m_depth = depth;
+
+    return IsOk();
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // raw bitmap access support
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1620,9 +1648,7 @@ wxBitmap wxMask::GetBitmap() const
 
     // Create and return a new wxBitmap.
     wxBitmap bmp;
-    bmp.SetHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hNewBitmap);
-    bmp.SetSize(bm.bmWidth, bm.bmHeight);
-    bmp.SetDepth(bm.bmBitsPixel);
+    bmp.InitFromHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hNewBitmap, bm.bmWidth, bm.bmHeight, bm.bmBitsPixel);
 
     return bmp;
 }
diff --git a/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp b/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
index a48cb4775d..c4ec760a6b 100644
--- a/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/gdiimage.cpp
@@ -348,26 +348,31 @@ bool wxBMPResourceHandler::LoadFile(wxBitmap *bitmap,
                                     int WXUNUSED(desiredHeight))
 {
     // TODO: load colourmap.
-    bitmap->SetHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)::LoadBitmap(wxGetInstance(), name.t_str()));
-
-    if ( !bitmap->IsOk() )
+    HBITMAP hbmp = ::LoadBitmap(wxGetInstance(), name.t_str());
+    if ( hbmp == NULL )
     {
         // it's probably not found
         wxLogError(wxT("Can't load bitmap '%s' from resources! Check .rc file."),
-                   name.c_str());
+            name.c_str());
 
         return false;
     }
 
+    int w, h, d;
     BITMAP bm;
-    if ( !::GetObject(GetHbitmapOf(*bitmap), sizeof(BITMAP), (LPSTR) &bm) )
+    if (::GetObject(hbmp, sizeof(BITMAP), &bm))
+    {
+        w = bm.bmWidth;
+        h = bm.bmHeight;
+        d = bm.bmBitsPixel;
+    }
+    else
     {
         wxLogLastError(wxT("GetObject(HBITMAP)"));
+        w = h = d = 0;
     }
 
-    bitmap->SetWidth(bm.bmWidth);
-    bitmap->SetHeight(bm.bmHeight);
-    bitmap->SetDepth(bm.bmBitsPixel);
+    bitmap->InitFromHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hbmp, w, h, d);
 
     // use 0xc0c0c0 as transparent colour by default
     bitmap->SetMask(new wxMask(*bitmap, *wxLIGHT_GREY));
diff --git a/src/msw/ole/dataobj.cpp b/src/msw/ole/dataobj.cpp
index 870fd71f4f..e052521521 100644
--- a/src/msw/ole/dataobj.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/ole/dataobj.cpp
@@ -1076,8 +1076,8 @@ bool wxBitmapDataObject::SetData(size_t WXUNUSED(len), const void *buf)
     wxCHECK_MSG( hbmp, FALSE, wxT("pasting/dropping invalid bitmap") );
 
     const BITMAPINFOHEADER * const pbmih = &pbmi->bmiHeader;
-    wxBitmap bitmap(pbmih->biWidth, pbmih->biHeight, pbmih->biBitCount);
-    bitmap.SetHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hbmp);
+    wxBitmap bitmap;
+    bitmap.InitFromHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hbmp, pbmih->biWidth, pbmih->biHeight, pbmih->biBitCount);
 
     // TODO: create wxPalette if the bitmap has any
 
@@ -1122,10 +1122,9 @@ bool wxBitmapDataObject2::SetData(size_t WXUNUSED(len), const void *pBuf)
         wxLogLastError(wxT("GetObject(HBITMAP)"));
     }
 
-    wxBitmap bitmap(bmp.bmWidth, bmp.bmHeight, bmp.bmBitsPixel);
-    bitmap.SetHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hbmp);
-
-    if ( !bitmap.IsOk() ) {
+    wxBitmap bitmap;
+    if ( !bitmap.InitFromHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hbmp, bmp.bmWidth, bmp.bmHeight, bmp.bmBitsPixel) )
+    {
         wxFAIL_MSG(wxT("pasting/dropping invalid bitmap"));
 
         return false;
@@ -1214,6 +1213,7 @@ bool wxBitmapDataObject::SetData(const wxDataFormat& format,
                                  size_t size, const void *pBuf)
 {
     HBITMAP hbmp;
+    int w, h, d;
     if ( format.GetFormatId() == CF_DIB )
     {
         // here we get BITMAPINFO struct followed by the actual bitmap bits and
@@ -1229,9 +1229,9 @@ bool wxBitmapDataObject::SetData(const wxDataFormat& format,
             wxLogLastError(wxT("CreateDIBitmap"));
         }
 
-        m_bitmap.SetWidth(pbmih->biWidth);
-        m_bitmap.SetHeight(pbmih->biHeight);
-        m_bitmap.SetDepth(pbmih->biBitCount);
+        w = pbmih->biWidth;
+        h = pbmih->biHeight;
+        d = pbmih->biBitCount;
     }
     else // CF_BITMAP
     {
@@ -1244,12 +1244,12 @@ bool wxBitmapDataObject::SetData(const wxDataFormat& format,
             wxLogLastError(wxT("GetObject(HBITMAP)"));
         }
 
-        m_bitmap.SetWidth(bmp.bmWidth);
-        m_bitmap.SetHeight(bmp.bmHeight);
-        m_bitmap.SetDepth(bmp.bmBitsPixel);
+        w = bmp.bmWidth;
+        h = bmp.bmHeight;
+        d = bmp.bmBitsPixel;
     }
 
-    m_bitmap.SetHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hbmp);
+    m_bitmap.InitFromHBITMAP((WXHBITMAP)hbmp, w, h, d);
 
     wxASSERT_MSG( m_bitmap.IsOk(), wxT("pasting invalid bitmap") );
 
diff --git a/src/msw/toolbar.cpp b/src/msw/toolbar.cpp
index e43d28d1e8..2c4ae26eb1 100644
--- a/src/msw/toolbar.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/toolbar.cpp
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ bool wxToolBar::Realize()
         {
             hBitmap = GetHbitmapOf(bitmap);
             // don't delete this HBITMAP!
-            bitmap.SetHBITMAP(0);
+            bitmap.ResetHBITMAP();
         }
 
         if ( remapValue == Remap_Buttons )