diff --git a/docs/changes.txt b/docs/changes.txt
index 2e3ce8a69d..b91724b5b9 100644
--- a/docs/changes.txt
+++ b/docs/changes.txt
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ wxX11:
 All (GUI):
 
 - Added colour normalization to PNM image handler (Ray Johnston)
+- Fixed freeing of "static" alpha data in wxImage (Axel Gembe)
 
 wxMSW:
 
diff --git a/src/common/image.cpp b/src/common/image.cpp
index 6df19503b2..92bbdde513 100644
--- a/src/common/image.cpp
+++ b/src/common/image.cpp
@@ -1665,7 +1665,9 @@ void wxImage::SetAlpha( unsigned char *alpha, bool static_data )
         alpha = (unsigned char *)malloc(M_IMGDATA->m_width*M_IMGDATA->m_height);
     }
 
-    free(M_IMGDATA->m_alpha);
+    if( !M_IMGDATA->m_staticAlpha )
+        free(M_IMGDATA->m_alpha);
+
     M_IMGDATA->m_alpha = alpha;
     M_IMGDATA->m_staticAlpha = static_data;
 }
@@ -1898,8 +1900,11 @@ bool wxImage::ConvertAlphaToMask(unsigned char threshold)
         }
     }
 
-    free(M_IMGDATA->m_alpha);
+    if( !M_IMGDATA->m_staticAlpha )
+        free(M_IMGDATA->m_alpha);
+
     M_IMGDATA->m_alpha = NULL;
+    M_IMGDATA->m_staticAlpha = false;
 
     return true;
 }