diff --git a/src/gtk/window.cpp b/src/gtk/window.cpp
index f828018064..a55d32a3ad 100644
--- a/src/gtk/window.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk/window.cpp
@@ -3977,10 +3977,10 @@ void wxWindowGTK::GtkSendPaintEvents()
     // widget to draw on
     GtkPizza *pizza = GTK_PIZZA (m_wxwindow);
 
-    if (GetThemeEnabled() && (GetBackgroundStyle() == wxBG_STYLE_SYSTEM) && !IsTopLevel())
+    if (GetThemeEnabled() && (GetBackgroundStyle() == wxBG_STYLE_SYSTEM))
     {
         // find ancestor from which to steal background
-        wxWindow *parent = GetParent();
+        wxWindow *parent = IsTopLevel() ? this : GetParent();
         while (parent && !parent->IsTopLevel())
             parent = parent->GetParent();
         if (!parent)
diff --git a/src/gtk1/window.cpp b/src/gtk1/window.cpp
index f828018064..a55d32a3ad 100644
--- a/src/gtk1/window.cpp
+++ b/src/gtk1/window.cpp
@@ -3977,10 +3977,10 @@ void wxWindowGTK::GtkSendPaintEvents()
     // widget to draw on
     GtkPizza *pizza = GTK_PIZZA (m_wxwindow);
 
-    if (GetThemeEnabled() && (GetBackgroundStyle() == wxBG_STYLE_SYSTEM) && !IsTopLevel())
+    if (GetThemeEnabled() && (GetBackgroundStyle() == wxBG_STYLE_SYSTEM))
     {
         // find ancestor from which to steal background
-        wxWindow *parent = GetParent();
+        wxWindow *parent = IsTopLevel() ? this : GetParent();
         while (parent && !parent->IsTopLevel())
             parent = parent->GetParent();
         if (!parent)