diff --git a/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/window.rkt b/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/window.rkt
index 589b3530cf..42ba4b1465 100644
--- a/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/window.rkt
+++ b/collects/mred/private/wx/gtk/window.rkt
@@ -716,6 +716,7 @@
 (define-gdk gdk_window_thaw_updates (_fun _GdkWindow -> _void))
 (define-gdk gdk_window_invalidate_rect (_fun _GdkWindow _pointer _gboolean -> _void))
 (define-gdk gdk_window_process_all_updates (_fun -> _void))
+(define-gdk gdk_window_ensure_native (_fun _GdkWindow -> _gboolean))
 
 (define (win-box-valid? win-box)
   (mcar win-box))
@@ -734,6 +735,11 @@
    (lambda (win-box)
      (let ([win (mcar win-box)])
        (and win
+	    ;; The freeze/thaw state is actually with the window's
+	    ;; implementation, so force a native implementation of the
+	    ;; window to try to avoid it changing out from underneath
+	    ;; us between the freeze and thaw actions.
+	    (gdk_window_ensure_native win)
        	    (begin
 	      (gdk_window_freeze_updates win)
 	      (set-mcdr! win-box (add1 (mcdr win-box)))