diff --git a/src/gtk/app.cpp b/src/gtk/app.cpp
index fcf11d84a1..17b4f900b7 100644
--- a/src/gtk/app.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/app.cpp
@@ -645,8 +645,6 @@ bool wxApp::Initialize(int& argc, wxChar **argv)
     wxFont::SetDefaultEncoding(wxLocale::GetSystemEncoding());
 #endif
 
-    wxGetRootWindow();
-
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gtk1/app.cpp b/src/gtk1/app.cpp
index fcf11d84a1..17b4f900b7 100644
--- a/src/gtk1/app.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk1/app.cpp
@@ -645,8 +645,6 @@ bool wxApp::Initialize(int& argc, wxChar **argv)
     wxFont::SetDefaultEncoding(wxLocale::GetSystemEncoding());
 #endif
 
-    wxGetRootWindow();
-
     return true;
 }