diff --git a/include/wx/arrstr.h b/include/wx/arrstr.h
index 306af0c54c..4c099c36b2 100644
--- a/include/wx/arrstr.h
+++ b/include/wx/arrstr.h
@@ -15,10 +15,9 @@
 #include "wx/defs.h"
 #include "wx/string.h"
 
-#if wxUSE_STL
-
-#include "wx/dynarray.h"
-
+// these functions are only used in STL build now but we define them in any
+// case for compatibility with the existing code outside of the library which
+// could be using them
 inline int wxCMPFUNC_CONV wxStringSortAscending(wxString* s1, wxString* s2)
 {
     return s1->Cmp(*s2);
@@ -29,6 +28,10 @@ inline int wxCMPFUNC_CONV wxStringSortDescending(wxString* s1, wxString* s2)
     return wxStringSortAscending(s2, s1);
 }
 
+#if wxUSE_STL
+
+#include "wx/dynarray.h"
+
 typedef int (wxCMPFUNC_CONV *CMPFUNCwxString)(wxString*, wxString*);
 typedef wxString _wxArraywxBaseArrayStringBase;
 _WX_DECLARE_BASEARRAY_2(_wxArraywxBaseArrayStringBase, wxBaseArrayStringBase,