diff --git a/include/wx/app.h b/include/wx/app.h
index 5f4d622bae..ef542febc3 100644
--- a/include/wx/app.h
+++ b/include/wx/app.h
@@ -198,6 +198,13 @@ public:
     // allows us to abstract the differences behind the common facade
     wxAppTraits *GetTraits();
 
+    // this function provides safer access to traits object than
+    // wxTheApp->GetTraits() during startup or termination when the global
+    // application object itself may be unavailable
+    //
+    // of course, it still returns NULL in this case and the caller must check
+    // for it
+    static wxAppTraits *GetTraitsIfExists();
 
     // event processing functions
     // --------------------------
diff --git a/src/common/appbase.cpp b/src/common/appbase.cpp
index 1efd57addd..54cc271c41 100644
--- a/src/common/appbase.cpp
+++ b/src/common/appbase.cpp
@@ -290,6 +290,13 @@ wxAppTraits *wxAppConsoleBase::GetTraits()
     return m_traits;
 }
 
+/* static */
+wxAppTraits *wxAppConsoleBase::GetTraitsIfExists()
+{
+    wxAppConsole * const app = GetInstance();
+    return app ? app->GetTraits() : NULL;
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // event processing
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -673,12 +680,16 @@ void wxAppTraitsBase::MutexGuiLeave()
 
 void WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxMutexGuiEnter()
 {
-    wxAppConsoleBase::GetInstance()->GetTraits()->MutexGuiEnter();
+    wxAppTraits * const traits = wxAppConsoleBase::GetTraitsIfExists();
+    if ( traits )
+        traits->MutexGuiEnter();
 }
 
 void WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxMutexGuiLeave()
 {
-    wxAppConsoleBase::GetInstance()->GetTraits()->MutexGuiLeave();
+    wxAppTraits * const traits = wxAppConsoleBase::GetTraitsIfExists();
+    if ( traits )
+        traits->MutexGuiLeave();
 }
 #endif // wxUSE_THREADS