diff --git a/include/wx/msw/private.h b/include/wx/msw/private.h
index dcf23526ab..4e95ca8b5b 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/private.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/private.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ WXDLLEXPORT_DATA(extern HICON) wxDEFAULT_MDICHILDFRAME_ICON;
 WXDLLEXPORT_DATA(extern HFONT) wxSTATUS_LINE_FONT;
 
 WXDLLEXPORT HINSTANCE wxGetInstance();
+WXDLLEXPORT void wxSetInstance(HINSTANCE hInst);
 WXDLLEXPORT void wxFillLogFont(LOGFONT *logFont, wxFont *font);
 WXDLLEXPORT wxFont wxCreateFontFromLogFont(LOGFONT *logFont); // , bool createNew = TRUE);
 
diff --git a/src/msw/app.cpp b/src/msw/app.cpp
index 16b58ba2f9..ba4a42af25 100644
--- a/src/msw/app.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/app.cpp
@@ -1126,6 +1126,11 @@ HINSTANCE wxGetInstance()
   return wxhInstance;
 }
 
+void wxSetInstance(HINSTANCE hInst)
+{
+    wxhInstance = hInst;
+}
+
 // For some reason, with MSVC++ 1.5, WinMain isn't linked in properly
 // if in a separate file. So include it here to ensure it's linked.
 #if (defined(__VISUALC__) && !defined(__WIN32__)) || (defined(__GNUWIN32__) && !defined(__TWIN32__))