diff --git a/docs/Contributors.txt b/docs/Contributors.txt
index d5c4eee619..99beead2f7 100644
--- a/docs/Contributors.txt
+++ b/docs/Contributors.txt
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ Seppo Suutarla - finnish translation
 Sergio Marcelo
 Shane Miller
 Stefan Hille
+Sean McIlwain
 Taras Boychuk
 Tom Lisjac
 Tomáš Gregorovič
diff --git a/lcl/comctrls.pp b/lcl/comctrls.pp
index 73abcd5373..5a996c4d7f 100644
--- a/lcl/comctrls.pp
+++ b/lcl/comctrls.pp
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ type
 
   { TStatusPanel }
 
+  //added.
+  TStatusPanelClass = class of TStatusPanel;
+  
   TStatusPanel = class(TCollectionItem)
   private
     FText: string;
@@ -130,6 +133,12 @@ type
     procedure UpdateHandleObject(PanelIndex: integer); virtual;
     procedure CalculatePreferredSize(
                         var PreferredWidth, PreferredHeight: integer); override;
+
+    //added.
+    function CreatePanel: TStatusPanel; virtual;
+    function CreatePanels: TStatusPanels; virtual;
+    function GetPanelClass: TStatusPanelClass; virtual;
+
   public
     constructor Create(TheOwner: TComponent); override;
     destructor Destroy; override;
diff --git a/lcl/include/statusbar.inc b/lcl/include/statusbar.inc
index 447fb3e7ed..7dc597feea 100644
--- a/lcl/include/statusbar.inc
+++ b/lcl/include/statusbar.inc
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ begin
   TControlCanvas(FCanvas).Control := Self;
   ControlStyle := [csCaptureMouse, csClickEvents, csDoubleClicks, csOpaque];
   FSimplePanel := True;
-  FPanels := TStatusPanels.Create(Self);
+  FPanels := CreatePanels;
   Color := clBtnFace;
   Anchors:=[akLeft,akRight,akBottom];
   Align := alBottom;
@@ -176,5 +176,31 @@ begin
   UpdateHandleObject(PanelIndex);
 end;
 
+{------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  function TStatusBar.CreatePanel(): TStatusPanel;
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+function TStatusBar.CreatePanel: TStatusPanel;
+var
+  LClass: TStatusPanelClass;
+begin
+  LClass := GetPanelClass;
+  Result := LClass.Create(Panels);
+end;
+{------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  function TStatusBar.CreatePanels(): TStatusPanels;
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+function TStatusBar.CreatePanels: TStatusPanels;
+begin
+  Result := TStatusPanels.Create(Self);
+end;
+{------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  function TStatusBar.GetPanelClass(): TStatusPanelClass;
+------------------------------------------------------------------------------}
+function TStatusBar.GetPanelClass: TStatusPanelClass;
+begin
+  Result := TStatusPanel;
+end;
+
+
 // included by comctrls.pp
 
diff --git a/lcl/include/statuspanels.inc b/lcl/include/statuspanels.inc
index da0f47677b..c9f1b7eae4 100644
--- a/lcl/include/statuspanels.inc
+++ b/lcl/include/statuspanels.inc
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 constructor TStatusPanels.Create(TheStatusBar: TStatusBar);
 begin
-  inherited Create(TStatusPanel);
+  inherited Create(TheStatusBar.GetPanelClass);
   FStatusBar := TheStatusBar;
 end;