diff --git a/src/gtk/msgdlg.cpp b/src/gtk/msgdlg.cpp
index 2dd5336e65..755a9fd5d3 100644
--- a/src/gtk/msgdlg.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/msgdlg.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ wxMessageDialog::wxMessageDialog(wxWindow *parent,
     m_caption = caption;
     m_message = message;
     m_dialogStyle = style;
+    
+    while (!parent->IsTopLevel())
+        parent = parent->GetParent();
+        
     m_parent = parent;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gtk1/msgdlg.cpp b/src/gtk1/msgdlg.cpp
index 2dd5336e65..755a9fd5d3 100644
--- a/src/gtk1/msgdlg.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk1/msgdlg.cpp
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ wxMessageDialog::wxMessageDialog(wxWindow *parent,
     m_caption = caption;
     m_message = message;
     m_dialogStyle = style;
+    
+    while (!parent->IsTopLevel())
+        parent = parent->GetParent();
+        
     m_parent = parent;
 }