diff --git a/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h b/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h
index 2e894bbbb5..264cccb188 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/enhmeta.h
@@ -87,6 +87,10 @@ public:
                     int width = 0, int height = 0,
                     const wxString& description = wxEmptyString);
 
+    // obtain a pointer to the new metafile (caller should delete it)
+    wxEnhMetaFile *Close();
+
+private:
     DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS_NO_COPY(wxEnhMetaFileDC)
 };
 
diff --git a/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp b/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp
index d2c39001f7..a3931c976f 100644
--- a/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/enhmeta.cpp
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ bool wxEnhMetaFile::SetClipboard(int WXUNUSED(width), int WXUNUSED(height))
 }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// wxEnhMetaFileDC
+// wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 class wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl : public wxMSWDCImpl
@@ -233,24 +233,11 @@ private:
 };
 
 
-IMPLEMENT_ABSTRACT_CLASS(wxEnhMetaFileDC, wxDC)
-
-wxEnhMetaFileDC::wxEnhMetaFileDC(const wxString& filename,
-                                 int width, int height,
-                                 const wxString& description)
-               : wxDC(new wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl(this,
-                                              filename,
-                                              width, height,
-                                              description))
-{
-}
-
-
 wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl::wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl( wxEnhMetaFileDC* owner,
                                  const wxString& filename,
                                  int width, int height,
                                  const wxString& description )
-   : wxMSWDCImpl( owner )
+                   : wxMSWDCImpl( owner )
 {
     m_width = width;
     m_height = height;
@@ -315,6 +302,31 @@ wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl::~wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl()
     m_hDC = 0;
 }
 
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// wxEnhMetaFileDC
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+IMPLEMENT_ABSTRACT_CLASS(wxEnhMetaFileDC, wxDC)
+
+wxEnhMetaFileDC::wxEnhMetaFileDC(const wxString& filename,
+                                 int width, int height,
+                                 const wxString& description)
+               : wxDC(new wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl(this,
+                                              filename,
+                                              width, height,
+                                              description))
+{
+}
+
+wxEnhMetaFile *wxEnhMetaFileDC::Close()
+{
+    wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl * const
+        impl = wx_static_cast(wxEnhMetaFileDCImpl *, GetImpl());
+    wxCHECK_MSG( impl, NULL, _T("no wxEnhMetaFileDC implementation") );
+
+    return impl->Close();
+}
+
 #if wxUSE_DRAG_AND_DROP
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------