diff --git a/src/msw/frame.cpp b/src/msw/frame.cpp
index 278e4c421d..f4fd913f3a 100644
--- a/src/msw/frame.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/frame.cpp
@@ -962,7 +962,15 @@ bool wxFrame::HandleMenuSelect(WXWORD nItem, WXWORD flags, WXHMENU hMenu)
     else
     {
         // don't give hints for separators (doesn't make sense) nor for the
-        // items opening popup menus (they don't have them anyhow)
+        // items opening popup menus (they don't have them anyhow) but do clear
+        // the status line - otherwise, we would be left with the help message
+        // for the previous item which doesn't apply any more
+        wxStatusBar *statbar = GetStatusBar();
+        if ( statbar )
+        {
+            statbar->SetStatusText(wxEmptyString);
+        }
+
         return FALSE;
     }