diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
index 9206f1516b..bd78648107 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
@@ -6114,6 +6114,7 @@ Editor::remove_tracks ()
 	const char* trackstr;
 	const char* busstr;
 	vector<boost::shared_ptr<Route> > routes;
+        bool special_bus = false;
 
 	for (TrackSelection::iterator x = ts.begin(); x != ts.end(); ++x) {
 		RouteTimeAxisView* rtv = dynamic_cast<RouteTimeAxisView*> (*x);
@@ -6125,8 +6126,30 @@ Editor::remove_tracks ()
 			}
 		}
 		routes.push_back (rtv->_route);
-	}
 
+                if (rtv->route()->is_master() || rtv->route()->is_monitor()) {
+                        special_bus = true;
+                }
+        }
+
+        if (special_bus && !Config->get_allow_special_bus_removal()) {
+                MessageDialog msg (_("That would be bad news ...."),
+                                   false,
+                                   Gtk::MESSAGE_INFO,
+                                   Gtk::BUTTONS_OK);
+                msg.set_secondary_text (string_compose (_(
+"Removing the master or monitor bus is such a bad idea\n\
+that %1 is not going to allow it.\n\
+\n\
+If you really want to do this sort of thing\n\
+edit your ardour.rc file to set the\n\
+\"allow-special-bus-removal\" option to be \"yes\""), PROGRAM_NAME));
+
+                msg.present ();
+                msg.run ();
+                return;
+        }
+                
 	if (ntracks + nbusses == 0) {
  		return;
 	}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
index f87614b613..71d38360d5 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
@@ -1226,6 +1226,25 @@ RouteUI::set_color_from_route ()
 void
 RouteUI::remove_this_route ()
 {
+        if ((route()->is_master() || route()->is_monitor()) &&
+            !Config->get_allow_special_bus_removal()) {
+                MessageDialog msg (_("That would be bad news ...."),
+                                   false,
+                                   Gtk::MESSAGE_INFO,
+                                   Gtk::BUTTONS_OK);
+                msg.set_secondary_text (string_compose (_(
+"Removing the master or monitor bus is such a bad idea\n\
+that %1 is not going to allow it.\n\
+\n\
+If you really want to do this sort of thing\n\
+edit your ardour.rc file to set the\n\
+\"allow-special-bus-removal\" option to be \"yes\""), PROGRAM_NAME));
+
+                msg.present ();
+                msg.run ();
+                return;
+        }
+
 	vector<string> choices;
 	string prompt;
 
@@ -1255,7 +1274,7 @@ RouteUI::remove_this_route ()
 gint
 RouteUI::idle_remove_this_route (RouteUI *rui)
 {
-	rui->_session->remove_route (rui->_route);
+	rui->_session->remove_route (rui->route());
 	return false;
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
index bbf37362a5..92397c149f 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, show_waveforms, "show-waveforms", true)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, show_waveforms_while_recording, "show-waveforms-while-recording", true)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (WaveformScale, waveform_scale, "waveform-scale", Linear)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (WaveformShape, waveform_shape, "waveform-shape", Traditional)
+CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, allow_special_bus_removal, "allow-special-bus-removal", false)
 
 /* denormal management */
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session.cc b/libs/ardour/session.cc
index 3655a074d8..48d2f6982c 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session.cc
@@ -2051,6 +2051,10 @@ Session::add_internal_sends (boost::shared_ptr<Route> dest, Placement p, boost::
 void
 Session::remove_route (shared_ptr<Route> route)
 {
+        if (((route == _master_out) || (route == _monitor_out)) && !Config->get_allow_special_bus_removal()) {
+                return;
+        }
+
 	{
 		RCUWriter<RouteList> writer (routes);
 		shared_ptr<RouteList> rs = writer.get_copy ();