diff --git a/src/msw/choice.cpp b/src/msw/choice.cpp
index 26e4a8e135..6699e1e95b 100644
--- a/src/msw/choice.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/choice.cpp
@@ -436,7 +436,16 @@ void wxChoice::DoSetItemClientData(unsigned int n, void* clientData)
 
 void* wxChoice::DoGetItemClientData(unsigned int n) const
 {
+    // Before using GetLastError() below, ensure that we don't have a stale
+    // error code from a previous API call as CB_GETITEMDATA doesn't reset it
+    // in case of success, it only sets it if an error occurs.
+    SetLastError(ERROR_SUCCESS);
+
     LPARAM rc = SendMessage(GetHwnd(), CB_GETITEMDATA, n, 0);
+
+    // Notice that we must call GetLastError() to distinguish between a real
+    // error and successfully retrieving a previously stored client data value
+    // of CB_ERR (-1).
     if ( rc == CB_ERR && GetLastError() != ERROR_SUCCESS )
     {
         wxLogLastError(wxT("CB_GETITEMDATA"));
diff --git a/src/msw/listbox.cpp b/src/msw/listbox.cpp
index e0f34e3637..4a452a16bf 100644
--- a/src/msw/listbox.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/listbox.cpp
@@ -304,6 +304,10 @@ bool wxListBox::IsSelected(int N) const
 
 void *wxListBox::DoGetItemClientData(unsigned int n) const
 {
+    // This is done here for the same reasons as in wxChoice method with the
+    // same name.
+    SetLastError(ERROR_SUCCESS);
+
     LPARAM rc = SendMessage(GetHwnd(), LB_GETITEMDATA, n, 0);
     if ( rc == LB_ERR && GetLastError() != ERROR_SUCCESS )
     {
diff --git a/tests/controls/itemcontainertest.cpp b/tests/controls/itemcontainertest.cpp
index aa9df2a8e7..3b5c003110 100644
--- a/tests/controls/itemcontainertest.cpp
+++ b/tests/controls/itemcontainertest.cpp
@@ -200,6 +200,18 @@ void ItemContainerTestCase::VoidData()
 
     WX_ASSERT_FAILS_WITH_ASSERT( container->SetClientData((unsigned)-1, NULL) );
     WX_ASSERT_FAILS_WITH_ASSERT( container->SetClientData(12345, NULL) );
+
+    // wxMSW used to hace problems retrieving the client data of -1 from a few
+    // standard controls, especially if the last error was set before doing it,
+    // so test for this specially.
+    const wxUIntPtr minus1 = static_cast<wxUIntPtr>(-1);
+    container->Append("item -1", wxUIntToPtr(minus1));
+
+#ifdef __WINDOWS__
+    ::SetLastError(ERROR_INVALID_DATA);
+#endif
+
+    CPPUNIT_ASSERT_EQUAL( minus1, wxPtrToUInt(container->GetClientData(3)) );
 }
 
 void ItemContainerTestCase::Set()