diff --git a/src/qt/window.cpp b/src/qt/window.cpp
index 2a7d64c6d4..eed343f218 100644
--- a/src/qt/window.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/window.cpp
@@ -1294,8 +1294,11 @@ bool wxWindowQt::SetBackgroundColour(const wxColour& colour)
     if ( !wxWindowBase::SetBackgroundColour(colour) )
         return false;
 
-    QWidget *widget = QtGetParentWidget();
-    wxQtChangeRoleColour(widget->backgroundRole(), widget, colour);
+    if ( colour.IsOk() )
+    {
+        QWidget *widget = QtGetParentWidget();
+        wxQtChangeRoleColour(widget->backgroundRole(), widget, colour);
+    }
 
     return true;
 }