diff --git a/src/msw/app.cpp b/src/msw/app.cpp
index ea195db53c..c9b2ee00af 100644
--- a/src/msw/app.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/app.cpp
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@ bool wxApp::RegisterWindowClasses()
     wndclass.hInstance     = wxhInstance;
     wndclass.hCursor       = ::LoadCursor((HINSTANCE)NULL, IDC_ARROW);
 
-    // Register the frame window class.
-    wndclass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_APPWORKSPACE + 1);
+    // register the class for all normal windows
+    wndclass.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLOR_BTNFACE + 1);
     wndclass.lpszClassName = wxCanvasClassName;
     wndclass.style         = styleNormal;
 
diff --git a/src/msw/dialog.cpp b/src/msw/dialog.cpp
index 32678cc578..829a5503d9 100644
--- a/src/msw/dialog.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/dialog.cpp
@@ -184,8 +184,6 @@ bool wxDialog::Create(wxWindow *parent,
     if ( !m_hasFont )
         SetFont(wxSystemSettings::GetFont(wxSYS_DEFAULT_GUI_FONT));
 
-    SetBackgroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_3DFACE));
-
 #if defined(__SMARTPHONE__) && defined(__WXWINCE__)
     SetLeftMenu(wxID_OK, _("OK"));
 #endif
diff --git a/src/msw/frame.cpp b/src/msw/frame.cpp
index bbeae6f9f1..edc5c5c22c 100644
--- a/src/msw/frame.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/frame.cpp
@@ -192,6 +192,8 @@ bool wxFrame::Create(wxWindow *parent,
     if ( !wxTopLevelWindow::Create(parent, id, title, pos, size, style, name) )
         return false;
 
+    SetBackgroundColour(wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_APPWORKSPACE));
+
 #if defined(__SMARTPHONE__) && defined(__WXWINCE__)
     SetLeftMenu(wxID_EXIT, _("Done"));
 #endif