diff --git a/lcl/interfaces/gtk2/gtk2wsmenus.pp b/lcl/interfaces/gtk2/gtk2wsmenus.pp
index 1c2f47e922..f8595db79f 100644
--- a/lcl/interfaces/gtk2/gtk2wsmenus.pp
+++ b/lcl/interfaces/gtk2/gtk2wsmenus.pp
@@ -488,7 +488,9 @@ class procedure TGtk2WSMenuItem.UpdateMenuIcon(const AMenuItem: TMenuItem;
 begin
   if not WSCheckMenuItem(AMenuItem, 'UpdateMenuIcon') then
     Exit;
-  if gtk_is_check_menu_item({%H-}Pointer(AMenuItem.Handle)) <> HasIcon then
+  // recreating menu handle without icon may lead to failures like
+  // main menu bar vanishing, see mantis issue #37607
+  if HasIcon then
     AMenuItem.RecreateHandle;
 end;
 
diff --git a/lcl/interfaces/gtk3/gtk3wsmenus.pp b/lcl/interfaces/gtk3/gtk3wsmenus.pp
index b4c1dfb51e..7c129fd5e5 100644
--- a/lcl/interfaces/gtk3/gtk3wsmenus.pp
+++ b/lcl/interfaces/gtk3/gtk3wsmenus.pp
@@ -556,8 +556,8 @@ class procedure TGtk3WSMenuItem.UpdateMenuIcon(const AMenuItem: TMenuItem;
 begin
   if not WSCheckMenuItem(AMenuItem, 'UpdateMenuIcon') then
     Exit;
-  // if gtk_is_check_menu_item({%H-}Pointer(AMenuItem.Handle)) <> HasIcon then
-  AMenuItem.RecreateHandle;
+  if HasIcon then
+    AMenuItem.RecreateHandle;
 end;
 
 { TGtk3WSMenu }