diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.cpp
index b8058c8bad..602f94334e 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Desktop::Desktop()
       kioskModeComponent (nullptr),
       allowedOrientations (allOrientations)
 {
-    createMouseInputSources();
+    addMouseInputSource();
 }
 
 Desktop::~Desktop()
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.h b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.h
index 266ccc4ea2..22503e3c7e 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.h
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/components/juce_Desktop.h
@@ -235,7 +235,8 @@ public:
     //==============================================================================
     /** Returns the number of MouseInputSource objects the system has at its disposal.
         In a traditional single-mouse system, there might be only one object. On a multi-touch
-        system, there could be one input source per potential finger.
+        system, there could be one input source per potential finger. The number of mouse
+        sources returned here may increase dynamically as the program runs.
         To find out how many mouse events are currently happening, use getNumDraggingMouseSources().
         @see getMouseSource
     */
@@ -383,7 +384,7 @@ private:
     friend class TopLevelWindowManager;
 
     OwnedArray <MouseInputSource> mouseSources;
-    void createMouseInputSources();
+    bool addMouseInputSource();
 
     ListenerList <MouseListener> mouseListeners;
     ListenerList <FocusChangeListener> focusListeners;
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp
index aed6291607..124c6cb4d4 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_android_Windowing.cpp
@@ -600,12 +600,10 @@ Desktop::DisplayOrientation Desktop::getCurrentOrientation() const
     return upright;
 }
 
-void Desktop::createMouseInputSources()
+bool Desktop::addMouseInputSource()
 {
-    // This creates a mouse input source for each possible finger
-
-    for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
-        mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (i, false));
+    mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (mouseSources.size(), false));
+    return true;
 }
 
 Point<int> MouseInputSource::getCurrentMousePosition()
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm
index db82d002a4..8ef80c319e 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_ios_Windowing.mm
@@ -273,10 +273,10 @@ String SystemClipboard::getTextFromClipboard()
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
-void Desktop::createMouseInputSources()
+bool Desktop::addMouseInputSource()
 {
-    for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
-        mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (i, false));
+    mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (mouseSources.size(), false));
+    return true;
 }
 
 bool Desktop::canUseSemiTransparentWindows() noexcept
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp
index 88ee129e73..4cddf5af71 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_linux_Windowing.cpp
@@ -3086,9 +3086,15 @@ void Desktop::Displays::findDisplays()
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
-void Desktop::createMouseInputSources()
+bool Desktop::addMouseInputSource()
 {
-    mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (0, true));
+    if (mouseSources.size() == 0)
+    {
+        mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (0, true));
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 bool Desktop::canUseSemiTransparentWindows() noexcept
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponentPeer.mm b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponentPeer.mm
index e2476340ee..95d57f4fa7 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponentPeer.mm
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_mac_NSViewComponentPeer.mm
@@ -1811,9 +1811,15 @@ void ModifierKeys::updateCurrentModifiers() noexcept
 
 
 //==============================================================================
-void Desktop::createMouseInputSources()
+bool Desktop::addMouseInputSource()
 {
-    mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (0, true));
+    if (mouseSources.size() == 0)
+    {
+        mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (0, true));
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp
index c3f0fc6615..709ceffaa0 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/native/juce_win32_Windowing.cpp
@@ -2915,13 +2915,17 @@ int JUCE_CALLTYPE NativeMessageBox::showYesNoCancelBox (AlertWindow::AlertIconTy
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
-void Desktop::createMouseInputSources()
+bool Desktop::addMouseInputSource()
 {
-    mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (0, true));
+    const int numSources = mouseSources.size();
 
-    if (canUseMultiTouch())
-        for (int i = 1; i <= 10; ++i)
-            mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (i, false));
+    if (numSources == 0 || canUseMultiTouch())
+    {
+        mouseSources.add (new MouseInputSource (numSources, numSources == 0));
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
 }
 
 Point<int> MouseInputSource::getCurrentMousePosition()
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.cpp b/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.cpp
index 24a06ffbd0..580d821bf9 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.cpp
@@ -80,22 +80,37 @@ void ComponentPeer::updateCurrentModifiers() noexcept
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
+MouseInputSource* ComponentPeer::getOrCreateMouseInputSource (int touchIndex)
+{
+    jassert (touchIndex >= 0 && touchIndex < 100); // sanity-check on number of fingers
+
+    Desktop& desktop = Desktop::getInstance();
+
+    for (;;)
+    {
+        if (MouseInputSource* mouse = desktop.getMouseSource (touchIndex))
+            return mouse;
+
+        if (! desktop.addMouseInputSource())
+        {
+            jassertfalse; // not enough mouse sources!
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void ComponentPeer::handleMouseEvent (const int touchIndex, const Point<int>& positionWithinPeer,
                                       const ModifierKeys& newMods, const int64 time)
 {
-    MouseInputSource* const mouse = Desktop::getInstance().getMouseSource (touchIndex);
-    jassert (mouse != nullptr); // not enough sources!
-
-    mouse->handleEvent (this, positionWithinPeer, time, newMods);
+    if (MouseInputSource* mouse = getOrCreateMouseInputSource (touchIndex))
+        mouse->handleEvent (this, positionWithinPeer, time, newMods);
 }
 
 void ComponentPeer::handleMouseWheel (const int touchIndex, const Point<int>& positionWithinPeer,
                                       const int64 time, const MouseWheelDetails& wheel)
 {
-    MouseInputSource* const mouse = Desktop::getInstance().getMouseSource (touchIndex);
-    jassert (mouse != nullptr); // not enough sources!
-
-    mouse->handleWheel (this, positionWithinPeer, time, wheel);
+    if (MouseInputSource* mouse = getOrCreateMouseInputSource (touchIndex))
+        mouse->handleWheel (this, positionWithinPeer, time, wheel);
 }
 
 //==============================================================================
diff --git a/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.h b/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.h
index 04c07cecf2..98227240dd 100644
--- a/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.h
+++ b/modules/juce_gui_basics/windows/juce_ComponentPeer.h
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ private:
     const uint32 uniqueID;
     bool fakeMouseMessageSent, isWindowMinimised;
     Component* getTargetForKeyPress();
+    static MouseInputSource* getOrCreateMouseInputSource (int);
 
     JUCE_DECLARE_NON_COPYABLE_WITH_LEAK_DETECTOR (ComponentPeer)
 };