diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.cc
index 5b9ad5c4e3..f8a7df8959 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.cc
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ PluginEqGui::PluginEqGui (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PluginInsert> pluginInsert)
 
 PluginEqGui::~PluginEqGui ()
 {
+	stop_updating ();
 	stop_listening ();
 
 	if (_analysis_scale_surface) {
@@ -201,13 +202,18 @@ void
 PluginEqGui::stop_listening ()
 {
 	analysis_connection.disconnect ();
-	_plugin->deactivate ();
+	if (_plugin) {
+		_plugin->deactivate ();
+		_plugin->drop_references ();
+		_plugin = 0;
+	}
 }
 
 void
 PluginEqGui::on_hide ()
 {
 	stop_updating ();
+	stop_listening ();
 	Gtk::Table::on_hide ();
 }
 
@@ -234,6 +240,7 @@ PluginEqGui::on_show ()
 	Gtk::Table::on_show ();
 
 	start_updating ();
+	start_listening ();
 
 	Gtk::Widget *toplevel = get_toplevel ();
 	if (toplevel) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.h b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.h
index a7da508bf2..329734fb19 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_eq_gui.h
@@ -48,9 +48,6 @@ public:
 	PluginEqGui (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PluginInsert>);
 	~PluginEqGui ();
 
-	void start_listening ();
-	void stop_listening ();
-
 private:
 	// Setup
 	void set_buffer_size (uint32_t, uint32_t);
@@ -68,6 +65,9 @@ private:
 	void stop_updating ();
 	void start_updating ();
 
+	void start_listening ();
+	void stop_listening ();
+
 	void resize_analysis_area (Gtk::Allocation&);
 	void redraw_analysis_area ();
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc
index 5f16392ef7..8132db5341 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc
@@ -891,7 +891,6 @@ PlugUIBase::toggle_plugin_analysis()
 
 		plugin_analysis_expander.add (*eqgui);
 		plugin_analysis_expander.show_all ();
-		eqgui->start_listening ();
 	}
 
 	if (!plugin_analysis_expander.get_expanded()) {
@@ -899,7 +898,6 @@ PlugUIBase::toggle_plugin_analysis()
 		const int child_height = plugin_analysis_expander.get_child ()->get_height ();
 
 		eqgui->hide ();
-		eqgui->stop_listening ();
 		plugin_analysis_expander.remove();
 
 		Gtk::Window *toplevel = (Gtk::Window*) plugin_analysis_expander.get_ancestor (GTK_TYPE_WINDOW);