diff --git a/include/wx/dialog.h b/include/wx/dialog.h
index 55dc6d0fe2..32db8b5b90 100644
--- a/include/wx/dialog.h
+++ b/include/wx/dialog.h
@@ -105,7 +105,10 @@ public:
     // check whether it contains wxDIALOG_NO_PARENT bit.
     //
     // This function always returns a valid top level window or NULL.
-    wxWindow *GetParentForModalDialog(wxWindow *parent, long style) const;
+    wxWindow *GetParentForModalDialog(wxWindow *parent, long style) const
+    {
+        return DoGetParentForDialog(wxDIALOG_MODALITY_APP_MODAL, parent, style);
+    }
 
     // This overload can only be used for already initialized windows, i.e. not
     // from the ctor. It uses the current window parent and style.
@@ -114,6 +117,16 @@ public:
         return GetParentForModalDialog(GetParent(), GetWindowStyle());
     }
 
+    // This function is similar to GetParentForModalDialog() but should be used
+    // for modeless dialogs and skips the checks irrelevant for them (currently
+    // just the one checking that the candidate parent window is visible, as it
+    // is possible to create a modeless dialog before its parent is shown if it
+    // is only shown later, after showing the parent).
+    wxWindow *GetParentForModelessDialog(wxWindow *parent, long style) const
+    {
+        return DoGetParentForDialog(wxDIALOG_MODALITY_NONE, parent, style);
+    }
+
 #if wxUSE_STATTEXT // && wxUSE_TEXTCTRL
     // splits text up at newlines and places the lines into a vertical
     // wxBoxSizer, with the given maximum width, lines will not be wrapped
@@ -243,9 +256,15 @@ protected:
     static bool                         sm_layoutAdaptation;
 
 private:
-    // helper of GetParentForModalDialog(): returns the passed in window if it
-    // can be used as our parent or NULL if it can't
-    wxWindow *CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxWindow *parent) const;
+    // Common implementation of GetParentFor{Modal,Modeless}Dialog().
+    wxWindow *DoGetParentForDialog(wxDialogModality modality,
+                                   wxWindow *parent,
+                                   long style) const;
+
+    // helper of DoGetParentForDialog(): returns the passed in window if it
+    // can be used as parent for this kind of dialog or NULL if it can't
+    wxWindow *CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxDialogModality modality,
+                                       wxWindow *parent) const;
 
     // Helper of OnCharHook() and OnCloseWindow(): find the appropriate button
     // for closing the dialog and send a click event for it.
diff --git a/src/common/dlgcmn.cpp b/src/common/dlgcmn.cpp
index dfc23046ca..52b660ab09 100644
--- a/src/common/dlgcmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/dlgcmn.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,9 @@ wxDialogBase::wxDialogBase()
     SetExtraStyle(GetExtraStyle() | wxWS_EX_BLOCK_EVENTS);
 }
 
-wxWindow *wxDialogBase::CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxWindow *parent) const
+wxWindow *
+wxDialogBase::CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxDialogModality modality,
+                                       wxWindow *parent) const
 {
     if ( !parent )
         return NULL;
@@ -148,10 +150,21 @@ wxWindow *wxDialogBase::CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxWindow *parent) const
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    if ( !parent->IsShownOnScreen() )
+    // This check is done for modal dialogs only because modeless dialogs can
+    // be created before their parent is shown and only shown later.
+    switch ( modality )
     {
-        // using hidden parent won't work correctly neither
-        return NULL;
+        case wxDIALOG_MODALITY_NONE:
+            break;
+
+        case wxDIALOG_MODALITY_APP_MODAL:
+        case wxDIALOG_MODALITY_WINDOW_MODAL:
+            if ( !parent->IsShownOnScreen() )
+            {
+                // using hidden parent won't work correctly neither
+                return NULL;
+            }
+            break;
     }
 
     if ( parent == this )
@@ -165,7 +178,9 @@ wxWindow *wxDialogBase::CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxWindow *parent) const
 }
 
 wxWindow *
-wxDialogBase::GetParentForModalDialog(wxWindow *parent, long style) const
+wxDialogBase::DoGetParentForDialog(wxDialogModality modality,
+                                   wxWindow *parent,
+                                   long style) const
 {
     // creating a parent-less modal dialog will result (under e.g. wxGTK2)
     // in an unfocused dialog, so try to find a valid parent for it unless we
@@ -175,16 +190,16 @@ wxDialogBase::GetParentForModalDialog(wxWindow *parent, long style) const
 
     // first try the given parent
     if ( parent )
-        parent = CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxGetTopLevelParent(parent));
+        parent = CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(modality, wxGetTopLevelParent(parent));
 
     // then the currently active window
     if ( !parent )
-        parent = CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(
+        parent = CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(modality,
                     wxGetTopLevelParent(wxGetActiveWindow()));
 
     // and finally the application main window
     if ( !parent )
-        parent = CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(wxApp::GetMainTopWindow());
+        parent = CheckIfCanBeUsedAsParent(modality, wxApp::GetMainTopWindow());
 
     return parent;
 }
diff --git a/src/generic/fdrepdlg.cpp b/src/generic/fdrepdlg.cpp
index eec427ee32..c2c169cb8a 100644
--- a/src/generic/fdrepdlg.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/fdrepdlg.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ bool wxGenericFindReplaceDialog::Create(wxWindow *parent,
                                         const wxString& title,
                                         int style)
 {
-    parent = GetParentForModalDialog(parent, style);
+    parent = GetParentForModelessDialog(parent, style);
 
     if ( !wxDialog::Create(parent, wxID_ANY, title,
                            wxDefaultPosition, wxDefaultSize,