diff --git a/include/wx/osx/cocoa/chkconf.h b/include/wx/osx/cocoa/chkconf.h
index aac5d4925e..5cc104b02d 100644
--- a/include/wx/osx/cocoa/chkconf.h
+++ b/include/wx/osx/cocoa/chkconf.h
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@
  */
 #define wxHAVE_FSEVENTS_FILE_NOTIFICATIONS 1
 
+/*
+ * turn off old style icon format if not asked for
+ */
+#ifndef wxOSX_USE_ICONREF
+    #define wxOSX_USE_ICONREF 0
+#endif
+
 /*
  * turning off capabilities that don't work under cocoa yet
  */
diff --git a/include/wx/osx/iphone/chkconf.h b/include/wx/osx/iphone/chkconf.h
index a87d8e876f..9f313759d9 100644
--- a/include/wx/osx/iphone/chkconf.h
+++ b/include/wx/osx/iphone/chkconf.h
@@ -377,6 +377,11 @@
     #define wxUSE_SECRETSTORE 0
 #endif
 
+// IconRef datatype does not exist on iOS
+
+#undef wxOSX_USE_ICONREF
+#define wxOSX_USE_ICONREF 0
+
 #endif
     /* _WX_OSX_IPHONE_CHKCONF_H_ */