diff --git a/samples/menu/menu.cpp b/samples/menu/menu.cpp
index 7fd3a3292a..48bd9e9de4 100644
--- a/samples/menu/menu.cpp
+++ b/samples/menu/menu.cpp
@@ -465,6 +465,8 @@ MyFrame::MyFrame()
 #if USE_LOG_WINDOW
     wxMenuItem *item = new wxMenuItem(fileMenu, Menu_File_ClearLog,
                                       wxT("Clear &log\tCtrl-L"));
+    item->SetBackgroundColour(*wxBLACK);
+    item->SetTextColour(*wxRED);
 #if wxUSE_OWNER_DRAWN || defined(__WXGTK__)
     item->SetBitmap(copy_xpm);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/msw/menuitem.cpp b/src/msw/menuitem.cpp
index 4d8ae82a8a..0c69e199bd 100644
--- a/src/msw/menuitem.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/menuitem.cpp
@@ -959,7 +959,11 @@ bool wxMenuItem::OnDrawItem(wxDC& dc, const wxRect& rc,
             rcText.top--;
 
 #if wxUSE_UXTHEME
-        wxUxThemeEngine* theme = MenuDrawData::GetUxThemeEngine();
+        // If a custom background colour is explicitly specified, we should use
+        // it instead of the default theme background.
+        wxUxThemeEngine* const theme = GetBackgroundColour().IsOk()
+                                        ? NULL
+                                        : MenuDrawData::GetUxThemeEngine();
         if ( theme )
         {
             POPUPITEMSTATES state;