diff --git a/include/wx/aui/serializer.h b/include/wx/aui/serializer.h
index 1b720d744e..3e8930d91a 100644
--- a/include/wx/aui/serializer.h
+++ b/include/wx/aui/serializer.h
@@ -89,7 +89,11 @@ public:
     // layout and allows to create windows on the fly.
     //
     // If this function returns nullptr, the pane is not added to the manager.
-    virtual wxWindow* CreatePaneWindow(const wxAuiPaneInfo& WXUNUSED(pane))
+    //
+    // Note that the pane may (and usually will, if a window is created) be
+    // modified, to set fields such as caption or icon that wouldn't normally
+    // be serialized.
+    virtual wxWindow* CreatePaneWindow(wxAuiPaneInfo& WXUNUSED(pane))
     {
         return nullptr;
     }
diff --git a/interface/wx/aui/serializer.h b/interface/wx/aui/serializer.h
index 896313fcc5..fb3f855dc0 100644
--- a/interface/wx/aui/serializer.h
+++ b/interface/wx/aui/serializer.h
@@ -175,8 +175,13 @@ public:
 
         If this function returns @NULL, as it does by default, the pane is not
         added to the manager.
+
+        If the function does create a new window, it should typically modify @a
+        pane parameter to fill in the fields such as `caption` or `icon` that
+        wouldn't normally be serialized and so wouldn't be restored by
+        LoadPanes().
      */
-    virtual wxWindow* CreatePaneWindow(const wxAuiPaneInfo& pane);
+    virtual wxWindow* CreatePaneWindow(wxAuiPaneInfo& pane);
 
     /**
         Load information about all the docks previously saved with SaveDock().
diff --git a/samples/aui/auidemo.cpp b/samples/aui/auidemo.cpp
index 1a4d0792d8..fd5b4794df 100644
--- a/samples/aui/auidemo.cpp
+++ b/samples/aui/auidemo.cpp
@@ -1724,7 +1724,7 @@ public:
         return panes;
     }
 
-    virtual wxWindow* CreatePaneWindow(const wxAuiPaneInfo& pane) override
+    virtual wxWindow* CreatePaneWindow(wxAuiPaneInfo& pane) override
     {
         wxLogWarning("Unknown pane \"%s\"", pane.name);
         return nullptr;