diff --git a/include/wx/string.h b/include/wx/string.h
index e05371a9e4..888a1faaf4 100644
--- a/include/wx/string.h
+++ b/include/wx/string.h
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@
 #include "wx/buffer.h"      // for wxCharBuffer
 #include "wx/strconv.h"     // for wxConvertXXX() macros and wxMBConv classes
 
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxString;
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // macros
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -164,12 +166,11 @@ inline int Stricmp(const char *psz1, const char *psz2)
 #endif  // OS/compiler
 }
 
-// return an empty wxString
-class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxString; // not yet defined
-inline const wxString& wxGetEmptyString() { return *(wxString *)&wxEmptyString; }
-
 #if wxUSE_STL
 
+// return an empty wxString (doesn't make much sense with wxUSE_STL == 1)
+inline const wxString wxGetEmptyString() { wxString(); }
+
 #include "wx/beforestd.h"
 #include <string>
 #include "wx/afterstd.h"
@@ -191,6 +192,9 @@ inline const wxString& wxGetEmptyString() { return *(wxString *)&wxEmptyString;
 
 #else // if !wxUSE_STL
 
+// return an empty wxString
+inline const wxString& wxGetEmptyString() { return *(wxString *)&wxEmptyString; }
+
 #ifndef HAVE_STD_STRING_COMPARE
     #define HAVE_STD_STRING_COMPARE
 #endif