diff --git a/include/wx/generic/dataview.h b/include/wx/generic/dataview.h
index e4f69aec2d..0fac7af910 100644
--- a/include/wx/generic/dataview.h
+++ b/include/wx/generic/dataview.h
@@ -68,10 +68,17 @@ public:
     virtual void SetFlags(int flags) { m_flags = flags; UpdateDisplay(); }
     virtual int GetFlags() const { return m_flags; }
 
-    virtual void SetAsSortKey(bool sort = true) { m_sort = sort; UpdateDisplay(); }
     virtual bool IsSortKey() const { return m_sort; }
 
-    virtual void SetSortOrder(bool ascending) { m_sortAscending = ascending; UpdateDisplay(); }
+    virtual void UnsetAsSortKey() { m_sort = false; UpdateDisplay(); }
+
+    virtual void SetSortOrder(bool ascending)
+    {
+        m_sort = true;
+        m_sortAscending = ascending;
+        UpdateDisplay();
+    }
+
     virtual bool IsSortOrderAscending() const { return m_sortAscending; }
 
     virtual void SetBitmap( const wxBitmap& bitmap ) { wxDataViewColumnBase::SetBitmap(bitmap); UpdateDisplay(); }
diff --git a/include/wx/gtk/dataview.h b/include/wx/gtk/dataview.h
index 8a4e12c354..134e422b97 100644
--- a/include/wx/gtk/dataview.h
+++ b/include/wx/gtk/dataview.h
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ public:
 
     virtual void SetSortable( bool sortable );
     virtual void SetSortOrder( bool ascending );
-    virtual void SetAsSortKey(bool sort = true);
 
     virtual void SetResizeable( bool resizable );
     virtual void SetHidden( bool hidden );
diff --git a/include/wx/headercol.h b/include/wx/headercol.h
index 815c41f82a..58736edb02 100644
--- a/include/wx/headercol.h
+++ b/include/wx/headercol.h
@@ -186,8 +186,12 @@ public:
     virtual void SetHidden(bool hidden)
         { ChangeFlag(wxCOL_HIDDEN, hidden); }
 
-    virtual void SetAsSortKey(bool sort = true) = 0;
-    void UnsetAsSortKey() { SetAsSortKey(false); }
+    // This function can be called to indicate that this column is not used for
+    // sorting any more. Under some platforms it's not necessary to do anything
+    // in this case as just setting another column as a sort key takes care of
+    // everything but under MSW we currently need to call this explicitly to
+    // reset the sort indicator displayed on the column.
+    virtual void UnsetAsSortKey() { }
 
     virtual void SetSortOrder(bool ascending) = 0;
     void ToggleSortOrder() { SetSortOrder(!IsSortOrderAscending()); }
@@ -249,10 +253,15 @@ public:
     virtual void SetFlags(int flags) { m_flags = flags; }
     virtual int GetFlags() const { return m_flags; }
 
-    virtual void SetAsSortKey(bool sort = true) { m_sort = sort; }
     virtual bool IsSortKey() const { return m_sort; }
+    virtual void UnsetAsSortKey() { m_sort = false; }
+
+    virtual void SetSortOrder(bool ascending)
+    {
+        m_sort = true;
+        m_sortAscending = ascending;
+    }
 
-    virtual void SetSortOrder(bool ascending) { m_sortAscending = ascending; }
     virtual bool IsSortOrderAscending() const { return m_sortAscending; }
 
 private:
diff --git a/include/wx/osx/dataview.h b/include/wx/osx/dataview.h
index 883438001f..feabf7de02 100644
--- a/include/wx/osx/dataview.h
+++ b/include/wx/osx/dataview.h
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ public:
     virtual void SetSortOrder  (bool ascending);
     virtual void SetTitle      (wxString const& title);
     virtual void SetWidth      (int  width);
-    virtual void SetAsSortKey  (bool sort = true);
 
    // implementation only
     wxDataViewColumnNativeData* GetNativeData() const
diff --git a/interface/wx/headercol.h b/interface/wx/headercol.h
index d554115362..53d4261017 100644
--- a/interface/wx/headercol.h
+++ b/interface/wx/headercol.h
@@ -338,38 +338,26 @@ public:
     virtual void SetHidden(bool hidden);
 
 
-    /**
-        Sets this column as the sort key for the associated control.
-
-        Calling this function with @true argument means that this column is
-        currently used for sorting the control contents and so should typically
-        display an arrow indicating it (the direction of the arrow depends on
-        IsSortOrderAscending() return value).
-
-        Don't confuse this function with SetSortable() which should be used to
-        indicate that the column @em may be used for sorting while this one is
-        used to indicate that it currently @em is used for sorting. Of course,
-        SetAsSortKey() can be only called for sortable columns.
-
-        @param sort
-            Sort (default) or don't sort the control contents by this column.
-     */
-    virtual void SetAsSortKey(bool sort = true) = 0;
-
     /**
         Don't use this column for sorting.
 
-        This is equivalent to calling SetAsSortKey() with @false argument.
+        This is the reverse of SetSortOrder() and is called to indicate that
+        this column is not used for sorting any longer.
      */
     void UnsetAsSortKey();
 
     /**
-        Sets the sort order for this column.
+        Sets this column as the sort key for the associated control.
 
-        This only makes sense for sortable columns which are currently used as
-        sort key, i.e. for which IsSortKey() returns @true and is only taken
-        into account by the control in which this column is inserted, this
-        function just stores the sort order in the wxHeaderColumn object.
+        This function indicates that this column is currently used for sorting
+        the control and also sets the sorting direction. Notice that actual
+        sorting is only done in the control associated with the header, this
+        function doesn't do any sorting on its own.
+
+        Don't confuse this function with SetSortable() which should be used to
+        indicate that the column @em may be used for sorting while this one is
+        used to indicate that it currently @em is used for sorting. Of course,
+        SetSortOrder() can be only called for sortable columns.
 
         @param ascending
             If @true, sort in ascending order, otherwise in descending order.
@@ -444,7 +432,6 @@ public:
     virtual wxAlignment GetAlignment() const;
     virtual void SetFlags(int flags);
     virtual int GetFlags() const;
-    virtual void SetAsSortKey(bool sort = true);
     virtual bool IsSortKey() const;
     virtual void SetSortOrder(bool ascending);
     virtual bool IsSortOrderAscending() const;
diff --git a/src/common/headerctrlcmn.cpp b/src/common/headerctrlcmn.cpp
index 4e32625c6b..be858a6848 100644
--- a/src/common/headerctrlcmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/headerctrlcmn.cpp
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ void wxHeaderCtrlSimple::DoShowSortIndicator(unsigned int idx, bool ascending)
 {
     RemoveSortIndicator();
 
-    m_cols[idx].SetAsSortKey(ascending);
+    m_cols[idx].SetSortOrder(ascending);
     m_sortKey = idx;
 
     UpdateColumn(idx);
diff --git a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
index 46ea2141e1..f5fcf0d5e3 100644
--- a/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/datavgen.cpp
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ private:
             }
 
             owner->SetSortingColumnIndex(idx);
-            col->SetAsSortKey();
+            col->SetSortOrder(true);
         }
 
         wxDataViewModel * const model = owner->GetModel();
diff --git a/src/gtk/dataview.cpp b/src/gtk/dataview.cpp
index b848fcdc93..d89b8c5501 100644
--- a/src/gtk/dataview.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/dataview.cpp
@@ -3286,14 +3286,6 @@ bool wxDataViewColumn::IsSortable() const
     return gtk_tree_view_column_get_clickable( column );
 }
 
-void wxDataViewColumn::SetAsSortKey( bool WXUNUSED(sort) )
-{
-    // it might not make sense to have this function in wxHeaderColumn at
-    // all in fact, changing of the sort order should only be done using the
-    // associated control API
-    wxFAIL_MSG( "not implemented" );
-}
-
 bool wxDataViewColumn::IsSortKey() const
 {
     GtkTreeViewColumn *column = GTK_TREE_VIEW_COLUMN(m_column);
diff --git a/src/osx/carbon/dataview.cpp b/src/osx/carbon/dataview.cpp
index dd288d8e17..13765f900d 100644
--- a/src/osx/carbon/dataview.cpp
+++ b/src/osx/carbon/dataview.cpp
@@ -2811,12 +2811,6 @@ bool wxDataViewColumn::IsHidden() const
 }
 
 
-void wxDataViewColumn::SetAsSortKey(bool WXUNUSED(sort))
-{
-    // see wxGTK native wxDataViewColumn implementation
-    wxFAIL_MSG( "not implemented" );
-}
-
 void wxDataViewColumn::SetNativeData(wxDataViewColumnNativeData* newNativeDataPtr)
 {
   delete m_NativeDataPtr;
diff --git a/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm b/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm
index f9600c916e..16ce4c8fab 100644
--- a/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm
+++ b/src/osx/cocoa/dataview.mm
@@ -3243,12 +3243,6 @@ void wxDataViewColumn::SetWidth(int width)
     }
 }
 
-void wxDataViewColumn::SetAsSortKey(bool WXUNUSED(sort))
-{
-    // see wxGTK native wxDataViewColumn implementation
-    wxFAIL_MSG("not implemented");
-}
-
 void wxDataViewColumn::SetNativeData(wxDataViewColumnNativeData* newNativeDataPtr)
 {
     delete m_NativeDataPtr;