diff --git a/include/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h b/include/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h
index 5183bb433a..e004b048fe 100644
--- a/include/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h
+++ b/include/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h
@@ -55,8 +55,12 @@ public:
     bool Create(const wxAboutDialogInfo& info, wxWindow* parent = nullptr);
 
 protected:
-    // this virtual method may be overridden to add some more controls to the
-    // dialog
+    // Return the parent to use for custom controls.
+    wxWindow* GetCustomControlParent() const { return m_contents; }
+
+    // This virtual method may be overridden to add some more controls to the
+    // dialog. The controls should be created using GetCustomControlParent() as
+    // the parent and then passed to AddControl().
     //
     // notice that for this to work you must call Create() from the derived
     // class ctor and not use the base class ctor directly as otherwise the
@@ -87,7 +91,7 @@ private:
 #endif // !wxUSE_MODAL_ABOUT_DIALOG
 
     // The panel containing the dialog contents.
-    wxPanel *m_contents = nullptr;
+    wxWindow *m_contents = nullptr;
 
     wxSizer *m_sizerText = nullptr;
 };
diff --git a/interface/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h b/interface/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h
index fc951e9b97..da993fabdb 100644
--- a/interface/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h
+++ b/interface/wx/generic/aboutdlgg.h
@@ -71,8 +71,10 @@ protected:
         This virtual method may be overridden to add more controls to the
         dialog.
 
-        Use the protected AddControl(), AddText() and AddCollapsiblePane()
-        methods to add custom controls.
+        The custom controls should be created with GetCustomControlParent() as
+        parent and then can be passed to the protected AddControl() method.
+        AddText() and AddCollapsiblePane() methods can also be used to add
+        simple static custom controls.
 
         This method is called during the dialog creation and you don't need to
         call it, only to override it.
@@ -106,6 +108,15 @@ protected:
         Add a wxCollapsiblePane containing the given text.
     */
     void AddCollapsiblePane(const wxString& title, const wxString& text);
+
+    /**
+        Return the parent to use for custom controls.
+
+        See DoAddCustomControls().
+
+        @since 3.3.0
+     */
+    wxWindow* GetCustomControlParent() const;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/samples/dialogs/dialogs.cpp b/samples/dialogs/dialogs.cpp
index ca4a090e09..26c896e24f 100644
--- a/samples/dialogs/dialogs.cpp
+++ b/samples/dialogs/dialogs.cpp
@@ -3486,9 +3486,11 @@ public:
     // add some custom controls
     virtual void DoAddCustomControls() override
     {
-        AddControl(new wxStaticLine(this), wxSizerFlags().Expand());
+        const auto parent = GetCustomControlParent();
+
+        AddControl(new wxStaticLine(parent), wxSizerFlags().Expand());
         AddText("Some custom text");
-        AddControl(new wxStaticLine(this), wxSizerFlags().Expand());
+        AddControl(new wxStaticLine(parent), wxSizerFlags().Expand());
     }
 };