diff --git a/include/wx/gtk/control.h b/include/wx/gtk/control.h
index 7e14b84d4b..eba1f5f4f5 100644
--- a/include/wx/gtk/control.h
+++ b/include/wx/gtk/control.h
@@ -75,20 +75,20 @@ protected:
     static wxVisualAttributes
         GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(GtkWidget* widget,
                                           bool useBase = false,
-                                          int state = -1);
+                                          int state = 0);
     static wxVisualAttributes
         GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(wxGtkWidgetNew_t,
                                           bool useBase = false,
-                                          int state = -1);
+                                          int state = 0);
     static wxVisualAttributes
         GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(wxGtkWidgetNewFromStr_t,
                                           bool useBase = false,
-                                          int state = -1);
+                                          int state = 0);
 
     static wxVisualAttributes
         GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(wxGtkWidgetNewFromAdj_t,
                                           bool useBase = false,
-                                          int state = -1);
+                                          int state = 0);
 
     // Widgets that use the style->base colour for the BG colour should
     // override this and return true.
diff --git a/src/gtk/control.cpp b/src/gtk/control.cpp
index 626fbf167d..24570f6afe 100644
--- a/src/gtk/control.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/control.cpp
@@ -229,9 +229,6 @@ wxControl::GetDefaultAttributesFromGTKWidget(GtkWidget* widget,
         return wxWindow::GetClassDefaultAttributes(wxWINDOW_VARIANT_NORMAL);
     }
 
-    if (state == -1)
-        state = GTK_STATE_NORMAL;
-
     // get the style's colours
     attr.colFg = wxColour(style->fg[state]);
     if (useBase)