diff --git a/include/wx/docview.h b/include/wx/docview.h
index beac80fc73..49be65f1bb 100644
--- a/include/wx/docview.h
+++ b/include/wx/docview.h
@@ -354,6 +354,11 @@ public:
     virtual void OnOpenFileFailure() { }
 
     virtual wxDocument *CreateDocument(const wxString& path, long flags = 0);
+
+    // wrapper around CreateDocument() with a more clear name
+    wxDocument *CreateNewDocument()
+        { return CreateDocument(wxString(), wxDOC_NEW); }
+
     virtual wxView *CreateView(wxDocument *doc, long flags = 0);
     virtual void DeleteTemplate(wxDocTemplate *temp, long flags = 0);
     virtual bool FlushDoc(wxDocument *doc);
diff --git a/interface/wx/docview.h b/interface/wx/docview.h
index 438cce2686..bd11e9e13b 100644
--- a/interface/wx/docview.h
+++ b/interface/wx/docview.h
@@ -340,6 +340,14 @@ public:
     */
     virtual wxDocument* CreateDocument(const wxString& path, long flags = 0);
 
+    /**
+        Creates an empty new document.
+
+        This is equivalent to calling CreateDocument() with @c wxDOC_NEW flags
+        and without the file name.
+     */
+    wxDocument *CreateNewDocument();
+
     /**
         Creates a new view for the given document. If more than one view is
         allowed for the document (by virtue of multiple templates mentioning
diff --git a/src/common/docview.cpp b/src/common/docview.cpp
index a4e3f5df60..3498256d94 100644
--- a/src/common/docview.cpp
+++ b/src/common/docview.cpp
@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ void wxDocManager::OnFileCloseAll(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 
 void wxDocManager::OnFileNew(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))
 {
-    CreateDocument( wxEmptyString, wxDOC_NEW );
+    CreateNewDocument();
 }
 
 void wxDocManager::OnFileOpen(wxCommandEvent& WXUNUSED(event))