diff --git a/src/msw/button.cpp b/src/msw/button.cpp
index 64e3c798a2..99759d70ad 100644
--- a/src/msw/button.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/button.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@ bool wxButton::Create(wxWindow *parent,
                       NULL
                      );
 
+    if (m_hWnd == 0)
+    {
+        wxString msg;
+        msg.Printf(wxT("CreateWindowEx failed with error number %ld"), (long) GetLastError());
+        wxFAIL_MSG(msg);
+    }
+
     // Subclass again for purposes of dialog editing mode
     SubclassWin(m_hWnd);
 
diff --git a/src/msw/dialog.cpp b/src/msw/dialog.cpp
index 1be624babd..398a283a6e 100644
--- a/src/msw/dialog.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/dialog.cpp
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ bool wxDialog::Create(wxWindow *parent, wxWindowID id,
 
     if ( !hwnd )
     {
-        wxLogError(_("Failed to create dialog."));
+        wxFAIL_MSG(_("Failed to create dialog. You probably forgot to include wx/msw/wx.rc in your resources."));
 
         return FALSE;
     }