diff --git a/src/common/framecmn.cpp b/src/common/framecmn.cpp
index f83d3e488b..916c0ea76d 100644
--- a/src/common/framecmn.cpp
+++ b/src/common/framecmn.cpp
@@ -347,8 +347,10 @@ bool wxFrameBase::ShowMenuHelp(int menuId)
 {
 #if wxUSE_MENUS
     // if no help string found, we will clear the status bar text
+    //
+    // NB: wxID_NONE is used for (sub)menus themselves by wxMSW
     wxString helpString;
-    if ( menuId != wxID_SEPARATOR && menuId != -3 /* wxID_TITLE */ )
+    if ( menuId != wxID_SEPARATOR && menuId != wxID_NONE )
     {
         const wxMenuItem * const item = FindItemInMenuBar(menuId);
         if ( item && !item->IsSeparator() )
diff --git a/src/msw/frame.cpp b/src/msw/frame.cpp
index b820a08d21..2313b03a3c 100644
--- a/src/msw/frame.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/frame.cpp
@@ -904,7 +904,7 @@ wxFrame::HandleMenuSelect(WXWORD nItem, WXWORD flags, WXHMENU WXUNUSED(hMenu))
     // any valid identifier in wxMenuEvent so use an otherwise unused value for
     // them
     if ( flags & (MF_POPUP | MF_SEPARATOR) )
-        item = -1;
+        item = wxID_NONE;
 
     wxMenuEvent event(wxEVT_MENU_HIGHLIGHT, item);
     event.SetEventObject(this);
@@ -915,7 +915,7 @@ wxFrame::HandleMenuSelect(WXWORD nItem, WXWORD flags, WXHMENU WXUNUSED(hMenu))
     // by default, i.e. if the event wasn't handled above, clear the status bar
     // text when an item which can't have any associated help string in wx API
     // is selected
-    if ( item == -1 )
+    if ( item == wxID_NONE )
         DoGiveHelp(wxEmptyString, true);
 
     return false;