diff --git a/src/msw/ole/activex.cpp b/src/msw/ole/activex.cpp
index ce96506b59..b034ab1c11 100644
--- a/src/msw/ole/activex.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/ole/activex.cpp
@@ -1110,16 +1110,20 @@ void wxActiveXContainer::CreateActiveX(REFIID iid, IUnknown* pUnk)
 
     m_oleObjectHWND = 0;
 
-    if (m_oleInPlaceObject.IsOk())
-    {
-        hret = m_oleInPlaceObject->GetWindow(&m_oleObjectHWND);
-        if (SUCCEEDED(hret))
-            ::SetActiveWindow(m_oleObjectHWND);
-    }
-
 
     if (! (dwMiscStatus & OLEMISC_INVISIBLEATRUNTIME))
     {
+        hret = m_oleObject->DoVerb(OLEIVERB_INPLACEACTIVATE, NULL,
+            m_clientSite, 0, (HWND)m_realparent->GetHWND(), NULL);
+        CHECK_HR(hret);
+
+        if (m_oleInPlaceObject.IsOk())
+        {
+            hret = m_oleInPlaceObject->GetWindow(&m_oleObjectHWND);
+            CHECK_HR(hret);
+            ::SetActiveWindow(m_oleObjectHWND);
+        }
+
         RECT posRect;
         wxCopyRectToRECT(m_realparent->GetClientSize(), posRect);
 
@@ -1129,10 +1133,6 @@ void wxActiveXContainer::CreateActiveX(REFIID iid, IUnknown* pUnk)
             m_oleInPlaceObject->SetObjectRects(&posRect, &posRect);
         }
 
-        hret = m_oleObject->DoVerb(OLEIVERB_INPLACEACTIVATE, NULL,
-            m_clientSite, 0, (HWND)m_realparent->GetHWND(), &posRect);
-        CHECK_HR(hret);
-
         hret = m_oleObject->DoVerb(OLEIVERB_SHOW, 0, m_clientSite, 0,
             (HWND)m_realparent->GetHWND(), &posRect);
         CHECK_HR(hret);