diff --git a/include/wx/bmpbuttn.h b/include/wx/bmpbuttn.h
index 66fa0c6d93..84a94863da 100644
--- a/include/wx/bmpbuttn.h
+++ b/include/wx/bmpbuttn.h
@@ -36,15 +36,15 @@ public:
     }
 
     // set the bitmaps
-    void SetBitmapLabel(const wxBitmap& bitmap)
+    virtual void SetBitmapLabel(const wxBitmap& bitmap)
         { m_bmpNormal = bitmap; OnSetBitmap(); }
-    void SetBitmapSelected(const wxBitmap& sel)
+    virtual void SetBitmapSelected(const wxBitmap& sel)
         { m_bmpSelected = sel; OnSetBitmap(); }
-    void SetBitmapFocus(const wxBitmap& focus)
+    virtual void SetBitmapFocus(const wxBitmap& focus)
         { m_bmpFocus = focus; OnSetBitmap(); }
-    void SetBitmapDisabled(const wxBitmap& disabled)
+    virtual void SetBitmapDisabled(const wxBitmap& disabled)
         { m_bmpDisabled = disabled; OnSetBitmap(); }
-    void SetBitmapHover(const wxBitmap& hover)
+    virtual void SetBitmapHover(const wxBitmap& hover)
         { m_bmpHover = hover; OnSetBitmap(); }
 
     // retrieve the bitmaps
diff --git a/include/wx/msw/bmpbuttn.h b/include/wx/msw/bmpbuttn.h
index 86ffd452a4..08ef3da8a7 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/bmpbuttn.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/bmpbuttn.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 class WXDLLEXPORT wxBitmapButton : public wxBitmapButtonBase
 {
 public:
-    wxBitmapButton() { }
+    wxBitmapButton() { Init(); }
 
     wxBitmapButton(wxWindow *parent,
                    wxWindowID id,
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ public:
                    const wxValidator& validator = wxDefaultValidator,
                    const wxString& name = wxButtonNameStr)
     {
+        Init();
+
         Create(parent, id, bitmap, pos, size, style, validator, name);
     }
 
@@ -42,6 +44,13 @@ public:
                 const wxValidator& validator = wxDefaultValidator,
                 const wxString& name = wxButtonNameStr);
 
+    // override some base class methods to automatically synthesize the
+    // disabled bitmap if it wasn't set by the user
+    virtual void SetBitmapLabel(const wxBitmap& bitmap);
+    virtual void SetBitmapFocus(const wxBitmap& focus);
+    virtual void SetBitmapDisabled(const wxBitmap& disabled);
+    virtual void SetBitmapHover(const wxBitmap& hover);
+
     // Implementation
     virtual bool SetBackgroundColour(const wxColour& colour);
     virtual bool MSWOnDraw(WXDRAWITEMSTRUCT *item);
@@ -50,9 +59,15 @@ public:
     virtual void DrawButtonDisable( WXHDC dc, int left, int top, int right, int bottom, bool with_marg );
 
 protected:
+    // common part of all ctors
+    void Init()
+    {
+        m_disabledSetByUser =
+        m_hoverSetByUser = false;
+    }
+
     // reimplement some base class virtuals
     virtual wxSize DoGetBestSize() const;
-    virtual void OnSetBitmap();
 
     // invalidate m_brushDisabled when system colours change
     void OnSysColourChanged(wxSysColourChangedEvent& event);
@@ -64,6 +79,13 @@ protected:
     // the brush we use to draw disabled buttons
     wxBrush m_brushDisabled;
 
+    // true if m_bmpDisabled was set by user, false if we created it ourselves
+    // from m_bmpNormal
+    bool m_disabledSetByUser;
+
+    // true if m_bmpHover was set by user, false if it was set from m_bmpFocus
+    bool m_hoverSetByUser;
+
 
     DECLARE_EVENT_TABLE()
     DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS_NO_COPY(wxBitmapButton)
diff --git a/src/msw/bmpbuttn.cpp b/src/msw/bmpbuttn.cpp
index e20d012df2..83f7efc9d5 100644
--- a/src/msw/bmpbuttn.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/bmpbuttn.cpp
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ bool wxBitmapButton::Create(wxWindow *parent, wxWindowID id,
     const wxValidator& wxVALIDATOR_PARAM(validator),
     const wxString& name)
 {
-    m_bmpNormal = bitmap;
+    SetBitmapLabel(bitmap);
     SetName(name);
 
 #if wxUSE_VALIDATORS
@@ -224,7 +224,19 @@ void wxBitmapButton::OnMouseEnterOrLeave(wxMouseEvent& event)
     event.Skip();
 }
 
-void wxBitmapButton::OnSetBitmap()
+void wxBitmapButton::SetBitmapLabel(const wxBitmap& bitmap)
+{
+#if wxUSE_IMAGE
+    if ( !HasFlag(wxBU_AUTODRAW) && !m_disabledSetByUser )
+    {
+        m_bmpDisabled = wxBitmap(bitmap.ConvertToImage().ConvertToGreyscale());
+    }
+#endif // wxUSE_IMAGE
+
+    wxBitmapButtonBase::SetBitmapLabel(bitmap);
+}
+
+void wxBitmapButton::SetBitmapFocus(const wxBitmap& focus)
 {
     // if the focus bitmap is specified but hover one isn't, use the focus
     // bitmap for hovering as well if this is consistent with the current
@@ -233,15 +245,26 @@ void wxBitmapButton::OnSetBitmap()
     // rationale: this is compatible with the old wxGTK behaviour and also
     // makes it much easier to do "the right thing" for all platforms (some of
     // them, such as Windows XP, have "hot" buttons while others don't)
-    if ( !m_bmpHover.Ok() &&
-            m_bmpFocus.Ok() &&
-                wxUxThemeEngine::GetIfActive() )
-    {
+    if ( focus.Ok() && !m_hoverSetByUser )
         m_bmpHover = m_bmpFocus;
-    }
 
-    // this will redraw us
-    wxBitmapButtonBase::OnSetBitmap();
+    wxBitmapButtonBase::SetBitmapFocus(focus);
+}
+
+void wxBitmapButton::SetBitmapDisabled(const wxBitmap& disabled)
+{
+    if ( disabled.IsOk() )
+        m_disabledSetByUser = true;
+
+    wxBitmapButtonBase::SetBitmapDisabled(disabled);
+}
+
+void wxBitmapButton::SetBitmapHover(const wxBitmap& hover)
+{
+    if ( hover.IsOk() )
+        m_hoverSetByUser = true;
+
+    wxBitmapButtonBase::SetBitmapHover(hover);
 }
 
 #if wxUSE_UXTHEME