diff --git a/include/wx/msw/window.h b/include/wx/msw/window.h
index 3f61afbe27..c3c1fe7c7e 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/window.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/window.h
@@ -52,7 +52,23 @@ public:
                 const wxPoint& pos = wxDefaultPosition,
                 const wxSize& size = wxDefaultSize,
                 long style = 0,
-                const wxString& name = wxPanelNameStr);
+                const wxString& name = wxPanelNameStr)
+    {
+        return CreateUsingMSWClass(GetMSWClassName(),
+                                   parent, id, pos, size, style, name);
+    }
+
+    // Non-portable, MSW-specific Create() variant allowing to create the
+    // window with a custom Windows class name. This can be useful to assign a
+    // custom Windows class, that can be recognized from the outside of the
+    // application, for windows of specific type.
+    bool CreateUsingMSWClass(const wxChar* classname,
+                             wxWindow *parent,
+                             wxWindowID id,
+                             const wxPoint& pos = wxDefaultPosition,
+                             const wxSize& size = wxDefaultSize,
+                             long style = 0,
+                             const wxString& name = wxPanelNameStr);
 
     // implement base class pure virtuals
     virtual void SetLabel(const wxString& label) wxOVERRIDE;
diff --git a/src/msw/window.cpp b/src/msw/window.cpp
index 7ba7d80eec..458f24083a 100644
--- a/src/msw/window.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/window.cpp
@@ -481,12 +481,13 @@ const wxChar *wxWindowMSW::GetMSWClassName() const
 }
 
 // real construction (Init() must have been called before!)
-bool wxWindowMSW::Create(wxWindow *parent,
-                         wxWindowID id,
-                         const wxPoint& pos,
-                         const wxSize& size,
-                         long style,
-                         const wxString& name)
+bool wxWindowMSW::CreateUsingMSWClass(const wxChar* classname,
+                                      wxWindow *parent,
+                                      wxWindowID id,
+                                      const wxPoint& pos,
+                                      const wxSize& size,
+                                      long style,
+                                      const wxString& name)
 {
     wxCHECK_MSG( parent, false, wxT("can't create wxWindow without parent") );
 
@@ -512,7 +513,7 @@ bool wxWindowMSW::Create(wxWindow *parent,
         msflags |= WS_VISIBLE;
     }
 
-    if ( !MSWCreate(GetMSWClassName(), NULL, pos, size, msflags, exstyle) )
+    if ( !MSWCreate(classname, NULL, pos, size, msflags, exstyle) )
         return false;
 
     InheritAttributes();