diff --git a/src/gtk/spinctrl.cpp b/src/gtk/spinctrl.cpp
index 61c533a548..c7067fdf57 100644
--- a/src/gtk/spinctrl.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/spinctrl.cpp
@@ -362,24 +362,24 @@ wxSize wxSpinCtrlGTKBase::DoGetSizeFromTextSize(int xlen, int ylen) const
 {
     wxASSERT_MSG( m_widget, wxS("GetSizeFromTextSize called before creation") );
 
-    // Set an as small as possible size for the control, so preferred sizes
-    // return "natural" sizes, not taking into account the previous ones (which
-    // seems to be GTK+3 behaviour)
-    gtk_widget_set_size_request(m_widget, 0, 0);
+    const gint widthChars = gtk_entry_get_width_chars(GTK_ENTRY(m_widget));
+    gtk_entry_set_width_chars(GTK_ENTRY(m_widget), 0);
+#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3,12,0)
+    gint maxWidthChars = 0;
+    if ( gtk_check_version(3,12,0) == NULL )
+    {
+        maxWidthChars = gtk_entry_get_max_width_chars(GTK_ENTRY(m_widget));
+        gtk_entry_set_max_width_chars(GTK_ENTRY(m_widget), 0);
+    }
+#endif // GTK+ 3.12+
 
-    // Both Gtk+2 and Gtk+3 use current value/range to measure control's width.
-    // So, we can't ask Gtk+ for its width. Instead, we used hardcoded values.
-
-    // Returned height is OK
     wxSize totalS = GTKGetPreferredSize(m_widget);
 
-#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3,4,0)
-    // two buttons in horizontal
-    totalS.x = 46 + 15; // margins included
-#else
-    // two small buttons in vertical
-    totalS.x = GetFont().GetPixelSize().y + 13; // margins included
-#endif
+#if GTK_CHECK_VERSION(3,12,0)
+    if ( gtk_check_version(3,12,0) == NULL )
+        gtk_entry_set_max_width_chars(GTK_ENTRY(m_widget), maxWidthChars);
+#endif // GTK+ 3.12+
+    gtk_entry_set_width_chars(GTK_ENTRY(m_widget), widthChars);
 
     wxSize tsize(xlen + totalS.x, totalS.y);