diff --git a/gramps/gui/widgets/validatedcomboentry.py b/gramps/gui/widgets/validatedcomboentry.py
index 1052b2888..175615b87 100644
--- a/gramps/gui/widgets/validatedcomboentry.py
+++ b/gramps/gui/widgets/validatedcomboentry.py
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ class ValidatedComboEntry(Gtk.ComboBox):
         self._entry.set_width_chars(width)
         # <hack description="set the GTK_ENTRY(self._entry)->is_cell_renderer
         # flag to TRUE in order to tell the entry to fill its allocation.">
-        dummy_event = Gdk.Event(Gdk.EventType.NOTHING)
+        if Gtk.get_minor_version() < 13:
+             dummy_event = Gdk.Event(Gdk.EventType.NOTHING)
+        else:
+             dummy_event = Gdk.Event()
         self._entry.start_editing(dummy_event)
         # </hack>
         self.add(self._entry)