diff --git a/src/wxpy_api.h b/src/wxpy_api.h
index 3cabfcd9..d5f5e2b7 100644
--- a/src/wxpy_api.h
+++ b/src/wxpy_api.h
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ struct wxPyAPI {
     bool          (*p_wxPyWrappedPtr_TypeCheck)(PyObject* obj, const wxString& className);
     wxVariant     (*p_wxVariant_in_helper)(PyObject* obj);
     PyObject*     (*p_wxVariant_out_helper)(const wxVariant& value);
-    bool          (*p_wxPyCheckForApp)();
+    bool          (*p_wxPyCheckForApp)(bool raiseException);
     PyObject*     (*p_wxPyMakeBuffer)(void* ptr, Py_ssize_t len, bool readOnly);
     bool          (*p_wxPyNumberSequenceCheck)(PyObject* obj, int reqLength);
     void*         (*p_wxPyGetCppPtr)(sipSimpleWrapper* sipPyObj);
@@ -245,8 +245,8 @@ inline PyObject* wxVariant_out_helper(const wxVariant& value)
 
 
 // Check if a wx.App object has been created
-inline bool wxPyCheckForApp()
-    { return wxPyGetAPIPtr()->p_wxPyCheckForApp(); }
+inline bool wxPyCheckForApp(bool raiseException=true)
+    { return wxPyGetAPIPtr()->p_wxPyCheckForApp(raiseException); }
 
 
 // Create a buffer object from a pointer and size
diff --git a/src/wxpy_api.sip b/src/wxpy_api.sip
index 8e9ff672..9865183e 100644
--- a/src/wxpy_api.sip
+++ b/src/wxpy_api.sip
@@ -431,11 +431,12 @@ PyObject* i_wxVariant_out_helper(const wxVariant& value)
 // (Initialized in wxPyCoreModuleInject)
 PyObject* wxPyNoAppError = NULL;
 
-bool i_wxPyCheckForApp() {
+bool i_wxPyCheckForApp(bool raiseException) {
     if (wxTheApp != NULL)
         return true;
     else {
-        PyErr_SetString(wxPyNoAppError, "The wx.App object must be created first!");
+        if (raiseException)
+            PyErr_SetString(wxPyNoAppError, "The wx.App object must be created first!");
         return false;
     }
 }