diff --git a/include/wx/string.h b/include/wx/string.h
index b4a6fa1df7..852f67115b 100644
--- a/include/wx/string.h
+++ b/include/wx/string.h
@@ -195,7 +195,12 @@ struct WXDLLEXPORT wxStringData
 #if defined(__VISUALC__) && (__VISUALC__ >= 1200)
   __forceinline
 #endif
-  void  Unlock() { if ( !IsEmpty() && --nRefs == 0) free(this);  }
+  void  Unlock() { if ( !IsEmpty() && --nRefs == 0) Free();  }
+
+  // VC++ free must take place in same DLL as allocation when using non dll
+  // run-time library (e.g. Multithreaded instead of Multithreaded DLL)
+  // we must not inline deallocation since allocation is not inlined
+  void  Free();
 
   // if we had taken control over string memory (GetWriteBuf), it's
   // intentionally put in invalid state
diff --git a/src/common/string.cpp b/src/common/string.cpp
index 791c5ce049..d0b3facc6b 100644
--- a/src/common/string.cpp
+++ b/src/common/string.cpp
@@ -160,6 +160,15 @@ wxSTD ostream& operator<<(wxSTD ostream& os, const wxString& str)
   #define STATISTICS_ADD(av, val)
 #endif // WXSTRING_STATISTICS
 
+// ===========================================================================
+// wxStringData class deallocation
+// ===========================================================================
+
+void wxStringData::Free()
+{
+    free(this);
+}
+
 // ===========================================================================
 // wxString class core
 // ===========================================================================