diff --git a/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp b/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp
index fa35d9f639..f22c467189 100644
--- a/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp
+++ b/samples/treectrl/treetest.cpp
@@ -1571,13 +1571,14 @@ void MyTreeCtrl::OnItemStateClick(wxTreeEvent& event)
 void MyTreeCtrl::OnItemMenu(wxTreeEvent& event)
 {
     wxTreeItemId itemId = event.GetItem();
-    MyTreeItemData *item = itemId.IsOk() ? (MyTreeItemData *)GetItemData(itemId)
-                                         : NULL;
+    wxCHECK_RET( itemId.IsOk(), "should have a valid item" );
+
+    MyTreeItemData *item = (MyTreeItemData *)GetItemData(itemId);
     wxPoint clientpt = event.GetPoint();
     wxPoint screenpt = ClientToScreen(clientpt);
 
     wxLogMessage(wxT("OnItemMenu for item \"%s\" at screen coords (%i, %i)"),
-                 item ? item->GetDesc() : wxT(""), screenpt.x, screenpt.y);
+                 item->GetDesc(), screenpt.x, screenpt.y);
 
     ShowMenu(itemId, clientpt);
     event.Skip();
@@ -1618,11 +1619,11 @@ void MyTreeCtrl::ShowMenu(wxTreeItemId id, const wxPoint& pt)
 void MyTreeCtrl::OnItemRClick(wxTreeEvent& event)
 {
     wxTreeItemId itemId = event.GetItem();
-    MyTreeItemData *item = itemId.IsOk() ? (MyTreeItemData *)GetItemData(itemId)
-                                         : NULL;
+    wxCHECK_RET( itemId.IsOk(), "should have a valid item" );
 
-    wxLogMessage(wxT("Item \"%s\" right clicked"), item ? item->GetDesc()
-                                                        : wxT(""));
+    MyTreeItemData *item = (MyTreeItemData *)GetItemData(itemId);
+
+    wxLogMessage(wxT("Item \"%s\" right clicked"), item->GetDesc());
 
     event.Skip();
 }
diff --git a/src/msw/treectrl.cpp b/src/msw/treectrl.cpp
index b0de8d30c9..971470d442 100644
--- a/src/msw/treectrl.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/treectrl.cpp
@@ -2727,13 +2727,16 @@ wxTreeCtrl::MSWWindowProc(WXUINT nMsg, WXWPARAM wParam, WXLPARAM lParam)
         }
 
         // create the event
-        wxTreeEvent event(wxEVT_COMMAND_TREE_ITEM_MENU, this, item);
+        if ( item.IsOk() )
+        {
+            wxTreeEvent event(wxEVT_COMMAND_TREE_ITEM_MENU, this, item);
 
-        event.m_pointDrag = pt;
+            event.m_pointDrag = pt;
 
-        if ( HandleTreeEvent(event) )
-            processed = true;
-        //else: continue with generating wxEVT_CONTEXT_MENU in base class code
+            if ( HandleTreeEvent(event) )
+                processed = true;
+            //else: continue with generating wxEVT_CONTEXT_MENU in base class code
+        }
     }
     else if ( (nMsg >= WM_MOUSEFIRST) && (nMsg <= WM_MOUSELAST) )
     {