diff --git a/include/wx/app.h b/include/wx/app.h
index a2e3d03c59..b3b00cb981 100644
--- a/include/wx/app.h
+++ b/include/wx/app.h
@@ -263,6 +263,12 @@ public:
     // options of the library and abort if it doesn't
     static bool CheckBuildOptions(const char *optionsSignature,
                                   const char *componentName);
+#if WXWIN_COMPATIBILITY_2_4
+    static bool CheckBuildOptions(const wxBuildOptions& buildOptions)
+    {
+        return CheckBuildOptions(buildOptions.m_signature, "your program");
+    }
+#endif
 
     // implementation only from now on
     // -------------------------------
diff --git a/include/wx/build.h b/include/wx/build.h
index 7d2573d28a..3c926f3c18 100644
--- a/include/wx/build.h
+++ b/include/wx/build.h
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@
      ")"
 
 
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// WX_CHECK_BUILD_OPTIONS
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // Use this macro to check build options. Adding it to a file in DLL will
 // ensure that the DLL checks build options in same way IMPLEMENT_APP() does.
@@ -96,4 +99,29 @@
     };                                                                  \
     static bool gs_buildOptionsCheck = wxCheckBuildOptions();
 
+
+#if WXWIN_COMPATIBILITY_2_4
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// wxBuildOptions
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// NB: Don't use this class in new code, it relies on the ctor being always
+//     inlined. WX_BUILD_OPTIONS_SIGNATURE always works.
+class wxBuildOptions
+{
+public:
+    // the ctor must be inline to get the compilation settings of the code
+    // which included this header
+    wxBuildOptions() : m_signature(WX_BUILD_OPTIONS_SIGNATURE) {}
+
+private:
+    const char *m_signature;
+
+    // actually only CheckBuildOptions() should be our friend but well...
+    friend class wxAppConsole;
+};
+
+#endif // WXWIN_COMPATIBILITY_2_4
+
 #endif // _WX_BUILD_H_