diff --git a/src/mac/carbon/menu.cpp b/src/mac/carbon/menu.cpp
index 4a88133f5d..4761918b33 100644
--- a/src/mac/carbon/menu.cpp
+++ b/src/mac/carbon/menu.cpp
@@ -675,10 +675,14 @@ void wxMenuBar::MacInstallMenuBar()
         else
             EnableMenuCommand( NULL , kHICommandPreferences ) ;
     }
+    // Unlike preferences which may or may not exist, the Quit item should be always
+    // enabled unless it is added by the application and then disabled, otherwise
+    // a program would be required to add an item with wxID_EXIT in order to get the
+    // Quit menu item to be enabled, which seems a bit burdensome.
     if ( UMAGetSystemVersion() >= 0x1000 && wxApp::s_macExitMenuItemId)
     {
         wxMenuItem *item = FindItem( wxApp::s_macExitMenuItemId , NULL ) ;
-        if ( item == NULL || !(item->IsEnabled()) )
+        if ( item != NULL && !(item->IsEnabled()) )
             DisableMenuCommand( NULL , kHICommandQuit ) ;
         else
             EnableMenuCommand( NULL , kHICommandQuit ) ;