diff --git a/src/guiengine/widget.hpp b/src/guiengine/widget.hpp
index d59e55ddd..1e957a807 100644
--- a/src/guiengine/widget.hpp
+++ b/src/guiengine/widget.hpp
@@ -196,7 +196,17 @@ namespace GUIEngine
                 return out;
             #endif
         }
-        
+
+        template<typename T> const T* getIrrlichtElement() const
+        {
+            #if defined(WIN32) || defined(NDEBUG)
+                return static_cast<T*>(m_element);
+            #else
+                T* out = dynamic_cast<T*>(m_element);
+                return out;
+            #endif
+        }
+
         IGUIElement* getIrrlichtElement() { return m_element; }
 
         void setParent(IGUIElement* parent);
diff --git a/src/guiengine/widgets/list_widget.cpp b/src/guiengine/widgets/list_widget.cpp
index 654c99dbb..f15d2843c 100644
--- a/src/guiengine/widgets/list_widget.cpp
+++ b/src/guiengine/widgets/list_widget.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void ListWidget::add()
 
 void ListWidget::clear()
 {
-    IGUIListBox* list = dynamic_cast<IGUIListBox*>(m_element);
+    IGUIListBox* list = getIrrlichtElement<IGUIListBox>();
     assert(list != NULL);
     
     list->clear();
@@ -40,20 +40,20 @@ void ListWidget::clear()
 
 void ListWidget::addItem(const char* item)
 {
-    IGUIListBox* list = dynamic_cast<IGUIListBox*>(m_element);
+    IGUIListBox* list = getIrrlichtElement<IGUIListBox>();
     assert(list != NULL);
     list->addItem( stringw(item).c_str() );
 }
 
 int ListWidget::getSelection() const
 {
-    IGUIListBox* list = dynamic_cast<IGUIListBox*>(m_element);
+    const IGUIListBox* list = getIrrlichtElement<IGUIListBox>();
     assert(list != NULL);
     return list->getSelected();
 }
 std::string ListWidget::getSelectionName() const
 {
-    IGUIListBox* list = dynamic_cast<IGUIListBox*>(m_element);
+    const IGUIListBox* list = getIrrlichtElement<IGUIListBox>();
     assert(list != NULL);
     return stringc( list->getListItem( list->getSelected() ) ).c_str();
 }
diff --git a/src/guiengine/widgets/text_box_widget.cpp b/src/guiengine/widgets/text_box_widget.cpp
index ef72d604e..3e5e3c351 100644
--- a/src/guiengine/widgets/text_box_widget.cpp
+++ b/src/guiengine/widgets/text_box_widget.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ void TextBoxWidget::add()
 // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 stringw TextBoxWidget::getText() const
 {
-    IGUIEditBox* textCtrl = dynamic_cast<IGUIEditBox*>(m_element);
+    const IGUIEditBox* textCtrl =  Widget::getIrrlichtElement<IGUIEditBox>();
     assert(textCtrl != NULL);
     
     return stringw(textCtrl->getText());