diff --git a/include/wx/cocoa/ObjcRef.h b/include/wx/cocoa/ObjcRef.h
index 4e28712e89..faa11bea36 100644
--- a/include/wx/cocoa/ObjcRef.h
+++ b/include/wx/cocoa/ObjcRef.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class wxObjcAutoRefBase
 {
 protected:
     static struct objc_object* ObjcRetain(struct objc_object*);
-    static struct objc_object* ObjcRelease(struct objc_object*);
+    static void ObjcRelease(struct objc_object*);
 };
 
 // T should be a pointer like NSObject*
diff --git a/src/cocoa/ObjcRef.mm b/src/cocoa/ObjcRef.mm
index ace3567500..6bff7b69c9 100644
--- a/src/cocoa/ObjcRef.mm
+++ b/src/cocoa/ObjcRef.mm
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@
     return [obj retain];
 }
 
-/*static*/ struct objc_object* wxObjcAutoRefBase::ObjcRelease(struct objc_object* obj)
+/*static*/ void wxObjcAutoRefBase::ObjcRelease(struct objc_object* obj)
 {
-    return [obj release];
+    [obj release];
 }