diff --git a/include/wx/validate.h b/include/wx/validate.h
index 477af1019a..0fcc58e476 100644
--- a/include/wx/validate.h
+++ b/include/wx/validate.h
@@ -62,9 +62,12 @@ public:
     // Called to transfer data from the window
     virtual bool TransferFromWindow() { return false; }
 
+    // Called when the validator is associated with a window, may be useful to
+    // override if it needs to somehow initialize the window.
+    virtual void SetWindow(wxWindow *win) { m_validatorWindow = win; }
+
     // accessors
-    wxWindow *GetWindow() const { return (wxWindow *)m_validatorWindow; }
-    void SetWindow(wxWindowBase *win) { m_validatorWindow = win; }
+    wxWindow *GetWindow() const { return m_validatorWindow; }
 
     // validators beep by default if invalid key is pressed, this function
     // allows to change this
@@ -85,7 +88,7 @@ public:
 #endif
 
 protected:
-    wxWindowBase *m_validatorWindow;
+    wxWindow *m_validatorWindow;
 
 private:
     static bool ms_isSilent;
diff --git a/interface/wx/validate.h b/interface/wx/validate.h
index 5a1c4e81d9..1096077019 100644
--- a/interface/wx/validate.h
+++ b/interface/wx/validate.h
@@ -85,8 +85,11 @@ public:
     /**
         Associates a window with the validator.
 
-        This function is automatically called by wxWidgets when creating a wxWindow-derived
-        class instance which takes a wxValidator reference.
+        This function is automatically called by wxWidgets when creating a
+        wxWindow-derived class instance which takes a wxValidator reference.
+        Since wxWidgets 3.1.1, it can be overridden in custom validators in
+        order to perform any one-time initialization or checks of the window
+        when the validator is associated with it.
 
         E.g.
         @code
@@ -94,9 +97,9 @@ public:
                        wxTextValidator(wxFILTER_ALPHA, &g_data.m_string));
         @endcode
         will automatically link the wxTextValidator instance with the wxTextCtrl
-        instance.
+        instance and call SetWindow() method on the wxTextValidator object.
     */
-    void SetWindow(wxWindow* window);
+    virtual void SetWindow(wxWindow* window);
 
     /**
         This overridable function is called when the value in the window must
diff --git a/src/common/wincmn.cpp b/src/common/wincmn.cpp
index f07acd465d..b0e542a171 100644
--- a/src/common/wincmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/wincmn.cpp
@@ -1782,10 +1782,10 @@ void wxWindowBase::SetValidator(const wxValidator& validator)
     if ( m_windowValidator )
         delete m_windowValidator;
 
-    m_windowValidator = (wxValidator *)validator.Clone();
+    m_windowValidator = static_cast<wxValidator *>(validator.Clone());
 
     if ( m_windowValidator )
-        m_windowValidator->SetWindow(this);
+        m_windowValidator->SetWindow(static_cast<wxWindow*>(this));
 }
 #endif // wxUSE_VALIDATORS