diff --git a/include/nana/gui/place.hpp b/include/nana/gui/place.hpp
index b10a8a18..2f5dc52c 100644
--- a/include/nana/gui/place.hpp
+++ b/include/nana/gui/place.hpp
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ namespace nana
 		}
 
 		place& dock(const std::string& dockname, std::string factory_name, std::function<std::unique_ptr<widget>(window)> factory);
-		place& dock_create(const std::string& factory);
+		widget* dock_create(const std::string& factory);
 	private:
 		implement * impl_;
 	};
diff --git a/source/gui/place.cpp b/source/gui/place.cpp
index 8f981475..01b70de1 100644
--- a/source/gui/place.cpp
+++ b/source/gui/place.cpp
@@ -2837,7 +2837,7 @@ namespace nana
 		return *this;
 	}
 
-	place& place::dock_create(const std::string& factory)
+	widget* place::dock_create(const std::string& factory)
 	{
 		auto i = impl_->dock_factoris.find(factory);
 		if (i == impl_->dock_factoris.end())
@@ -2857,10 +2857,10 @@ namespace nana
 				dock_ptr->dockarea->move(dock_ptr->attached->field_area);
 			}
 
-			dock_ptr->dockarea->add_pane(i->second->factories[factory]);
+			return dock_ptr->dockarea->add_pane(i->second->factories[factory]);
 		}
 
-		return *this;
+		return nullptr;
 	}
 	//end class place
 }//end namespace nana
diff --git a/source/gui/place_parts.hpp b/source/gui/place_parts.hpp
index 3b0edceb..1c969884 100644
--- a/source/gui/place_parts.hpp
+++ b/source/gui/place_parts.hpp
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ namespace nana
 
 					graph.rectangle(r, true, xclr);
 				}
-				
+
 				r.x += (r.width - 16) / 2;
 				r.y = (r.height - 16) / 2;
 
@@ -278,13 +278,15 @@ namespace nana
 
 			}
 
-			void add_pane(factory & fn)
+			widget* add_pane(factory & fn)
 			{
 				auto fn_ptr = &fn;
-				API::dev::affinity_execute(*this, [this, fn_ptr]
+                widget * w = nullptr;
+				API::dev::affinity_execute(*this, [this, fn_ptr, &w]
 				{
-					_m_add_pane(*fn_ptr);
+					w=_m_add_pane(*fn_ptr);
 				});
+                return w;
 			}
 
 			void float_away(const ::nana::point& move_pos)
@@ -330,7 +332,7 @@ namespace nana
 				return (nullptr != container_);
 			}
 		private:
-			void _m_add_pane(factory & fn)
+			widget* _m_add_pane(factory & fn)
 			{
 				rectangle r{ point(), this->size() };
 
@@ -385,6 +387,7 @@ namespace nana
 					}
 
 					panels_.emplace_back();
+					widget * w=wdg.get();
 					panels_.back().widget_ptr.swap(wdg);
 
 					for (auto & pn : panels_)
@@ -392,7 +395,9 @@ namespace nana
 						if (pn.widget_ptr)
 							pn.widget_ptr->move(r);
 					}
+					return w;
 				}
+				return nullptr;
 			}
 		private:
 			window host_window_{nullptr};
@@ -693,4 +698,4 @@ namespace nana
 	}//end namespace place_parts
 }//end namespace nana
 
-#endif //NANA_GUI_PLACE_PARTS_HPP
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif //NANA_GUI_PLACE_PARTS_HPP