diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp
index d4cda489e9..aed6291607 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp
@@ -703,6 +703,12 @@ void Desktop::setKioskComponent (Component* kioskModeComponent, bool enableOrDis
     // TODO
 }
 
+//==============================================================================
+bool juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows()
+{
+    return false;
+}
+
 //==============================================================================
 void Desktop::Displays::findDisplays()
 {
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm
index 12d37b8f64..db82d002a4 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm
@@ -245,6 +245,12 @@ bool Desktop::isScreenSaverEnabled()
     return ! [[UIApplication sharedApplication] isIdleTimerDisabled];
 }
 
+//==============================================================================
+bool juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows()
+{
+    return false;
+}
+
 //==============================================================================
 Image juce_createIconForFile (const File& file)
 {
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp
index ecd4942bc4..88ee129e73 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp
@@ -3159,6 +3159,12 @@ bool Desktop::isScreenSaverEnabled()
     return screenSaverAllowed;
 }
 
+//==============================================================================
+bool juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows()
+{
+    return false; // XXX should be implemented
+}
+
 //==============================================================================
 void* CustomMouseCursorInfo::create() const
 {
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_Windowing.mm b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_Windowing.mm
index ed442ab9fe..6dc991b0ae 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_Windowing.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_Windowing.mm
@@ -325,6 +325,24 @@ void Desktop::Displays::findDisplays()
     }
 }
 
+//==============================================================================
+bool juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows()
+{
+    NSArray* windows = [NSApp windows];
+
+    for (unsigned int i = 0; i < [windows count]; ++i)
+    {
+        const NSInteger level = [((NSWindow*) [windows objectAtIndex: i]) level];
+
+        if (level == NSFloatingWindowLevel
+             || level == NSStatusWindowLevel
+             || level == NSModalPanelWindowLevel)
+            return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
 //==============================================================================
 Image juce_createIconForFile (const File& file)
 {
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_FileChooser.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_FileChooser.cpp
index 4045e4b2e9..66c2a29f47 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_FileChooser.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_FileChooser.cpp
@@ -23,21 +23,10 @@
   ==============================================================================
 */
 
+extern bool juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows();
+
 namespace FileChooserHelpers
 {
-    static bool areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows()
-    {
-        for (int i = Desktop::getInstance().getNumComponents(); --i >= 0;)
-        {
-            Component* const c = Desktop::getInstance().getComponent (i);
-
-            if (c != nullptr && c->isAlwaysOnTop() && c->isShowing())
-                return true;
-        }
-
-        return false;
-    }
-
     struct FileChooserCallbackInfo
     {
         String initialPath;
@@ -162,7 +151,7 @@ void FileChooser::showPlatformDialog (Array<File>& results, const String& title_
                             mainMon.getY() + mainMon.getHeight() / 4,
                             0, 0);
     parentWindow.setOpaque (true);
-    parentWindow.setAlwaysOnTop (areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows());
+    parentWindow.setAlwaysOnTop (juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows());
     parentWindow.addToDesktop (0);
 
     if (extraInfoComponent == nullptr)
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp
index 38144f40be..a78f812738 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp
@@ -790,10 +790,7 @@ public:
 
     void toBehind (ComponentPeer* other)
     {
-        HWNDComponentPeer* const otherPeer = dynamic_cast <HWNDComponentPeer*> (other);
-        jassert (otherPeer != nullptr); // wrong type of window?
-
-        if (otherPeer != nullptr)
+        if (HWNDComponentPeer* const otherPeer = dynamic_cast <HWNDComponentPeer*> (other))
         {
             setMinimised (false);
 
@@ -804,6 +801,10 @@ public:
             else if (otherPeer->getComponent().isAlwaysOnTop())
                 SetWindowPos (hwnd, HWND_TOP,        0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOACTIVATE | SWP_NOSENDCHANGING);
         }
+        else
+        {
+            jassertfalse; // wrong type of window?
+        }
     }
 
     bool isFocused() const
@@ -2665,9 +2666,7 @@ private:
 
         void moveCandidateWindowToLeftAlignWithSelection (HIMC hImc, ComponentPeer& peer, TextInputTarget* target) const
         {
-            Component* const targetComp = dynamic_cast <Component*> (target);
-
-            if (targetComp != nullptr)
+            if (Component* const targetComp = dynamic_cast <Component*> (target))
             {
                 const Rectangle<int> area (peer.getComponent().getLocalArea (targetComp, target->getCaretRectangle()));
 
@@ -2780,6 +2779,37 @@ void Process::makeForegroundProcess()
     // is this possible in Windows?
 }
 
+//==============================================================================
+static BOOL CALLBACK enumAlwaysOnTopWindows (HWND hwnd, LPARAM lParam)
+{
+    if (IsWindowVisible (hwnd))
+    {
+        DWORD processID = 0;
+        GetWindowThreadProcessId (hwnd, &processID);
+
+        if (processID == GetCurrentProcessId())
+        {
+            WINDOWINFO info;
+
+            if (GetWindowInfo (hwnd, &info)
+                 && (info.dwExStyle & WS_EX_TOPMOST) != 0)
+            {
+                *reinterpret_cast <bool*> (lParam) = true;
+                return FALSE;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return TRUE;
+}
+
+bool juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows()
+{
+    bool anyAlwaysOnTopFound = false;
+    EnumWindows (&enumAlwaysOnTopWindows, (LPARAM) &anyAlwaysOnTopFound);
+    return anyAlwaysOnTopFound;
+}
+
 //==============================================================================
 class WindowsMessageBox  : public AsyncUpdater
 {
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_AlertWindow.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_AlertWindow.cpp
index 15b20b42b1..8080e62d7c 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_AlertWindow.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_AlertWindow.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ static juce_wchar getDefaultPasswordChar() noexcept
    #endif
 }
 
+extern bool juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows();
+
 //==============================================================================
 AlertWindow::AlertWindow (const String& title,
                           const String& message,
@@ -42,24 +44,13 @@ AlertWindow::AlertWindow (const String& title,
      associatedComponent (comp),
      escapeKeyCancels (true)
 {
+    setAlwaysOnTop (juce_areThereAnyAlwaysOnTopWindows());
+
     if (message.isEmpty())
         text = " "; // to force an update if the message is empty
 
     setMessage (message);
 
-    Desktop& desktop = Desktop::getInstance();
-    for (int i = desktop.getNumComponents(); --i >= 0;)
-    {
-        if (Component* const c = desktop.getComponent (i))
-        {
-            if (c->isAlwaysOnTop() && c->isShowing())
-            {
-                setAlwaysOnTop (true);
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     AlertWindow::lookAndFeelChanged();
     constrainer.setMinimumOnscreenAmounts (0x10000, 0x10000, 0x10000, 0x10000);
 }