diff --git a/src/msw/app.cpp b/src/msw/app.cpp
index be4bc5e9dc..66ea461c6c 100644
--- a/src/msw/app.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/app.cpp
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ const wxChar *wxApp::GetRegisteredClassName(const wxChar *name,
         {
             wxLogLastError(wxString::Format(wxT("RegisterClass(%s)"),
                            regClass.regname));
-            return NULL;
+            return name;
         }
     }