diff --git a/ardour.rc.in b/ardour.rc.in
index 44738f8062..a1d0d37177 100644
--- a/ardour.rc.in
+++ b/ardour.rc.in
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@
     <Option name="use-vst" value="yes"/>
     <Option name="use-tranzport" value="yes"/>
     <Option name="destructive-xfade-msecs" value="20"/>
+    <Option name="periodic-safety-backups" value="1"/>
+    <Option name="periodic-safety-backup-interval" value="120"/>
   </Config>
   <extra>
     <Keyboard edit-button="3" edit-modifier="4" delete-button="3" delete-modifier="1" snap-modifier="32"/>
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/actions.cc b/gtk2_ardour/actions.cc
index 6e4a525ba7..40af880f9c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/actions.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/actions.cc
@@ -256,6 +256,13 @@ ActionManager::uncheck_toggleaction (const char * name)
 	delete [] group_name;
 }
 
+/** Examine the state of a Configuration setting and a toggle action, and toggle the Configuration
+ * setting if its state doesn't match the toggle action.
+ * @param group Action group.
+ * @param action Action name.
+ * @param Method to set the state of the Configuration setting.
+ * @param Method to get the state of the Configuration setting.
+ */
 void
 ActionManager::toggle_config_state (const char* group, const char* action, bool (Configuration::*set)(bool), bool (Configuration::*get)(void) const)
 {
@@ -285,6 +292,12 @@ ActionManager::toggle_config_state (const char* group, const char* action, sigc:
 	}
 }
 
+
+/** Set the state of a ToggleAction using a particular Configuration get() method
+ * @param group Action group.
+ * @param action Action name.
+ * @param get Method to obtain the state that the ToggleAction should have.
+ */
 void
 ActionManager::map_some_state (const char* group, const char* action, bool (Configuration::*get)() const)
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour.menus b/gtk2_ardour/ardour.menus
index c01195f4f4..635def7794 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour.menus
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour.menus
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@
                <menuitem action='LatchedRecordEnable'/>
                <menuitem action='RegionEquivalentsOverlap'/>
                <separator/>
+               <menuitem action='PeriodicSafetyBackups'/>
                <menuitem action='VerifyRemoveLastCapture'/>
                <menuitem action='StopRecordingOnXrun'/>
                <menuitem action='StopTransportAtEndOfSession'/>
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index adea076f7f..e990f5ce20 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -432,6 +432,39 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 	save_keybindings ();
 }
 
+gint
+ARDOUR_UI::autosave_session ()
+{
+        if (!Config->get_periodic_safety_backups())
+                return 1;
+        
+        if (session) {
+                session->maybe_write_autosave();
+        }
+
+        return 1;
+}
+
+void
+ARDOUR_UI::update_autosave ()
+{
+        ENSURE_GUI_THREAD (mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::update_autosave));
+        
+        if (session->dirty()) {
+                if (_autosave_connection.connected()) {
+                        _autosave_connection.disconnect();
+                }
+
+                _autosave_connection = Glib::signal_timeout().connect (mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::autosave_session),
+								    Config->get_periodic_safety_backup_interval() * 1000);
+
+        } else {
+                if (_autosave_connection.connected()) {
+                        _autosave_connection.disconnect();
+                }               
+        }
+}
+
 void
 ARDOUR_UI::startup ()
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index 8b1304ef2a..0b5016ea28 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -297,6 +297,11 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI
 	int  ask_about_saving_session (const string & why);
 	int  save_the_session;
 
+	/* periodic safety backup, to be precise */
+	gint autosave_session();
+	void update_autosave();
+	sigc::connection _autosave_connection;
+
 	void queue_transport_change ();
 	void map_transport_state ();
 	int32_t do_engine_start ();
@@ -675,6 +680,7 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI
 	void toggle_StopPluginsWithTransport();
 	void toggle_DoNotRunPluginsWhileRecording();
 	void toggle_VerifyRemoveLastCapture();
+	void toggle_PeriodicSafetyBackups();
 	void toggle_StopRecordingOnXrun();
 	void toggle_StopTransportAtEndOfSession();
 	void toggle_GainReduceFastTransport();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
index c3b82c74a8..8a50697e85 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ ARDOUR_UI::connect_to_session (Session *s)
 
 	solo_alert_button.set_active (session->soloing());
 
+	/* update autochange callback on dirty state changing */
+
+	session->DirtyChanged.connect (mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::update_autosave));
+
 	/* can't be auditioning here */
 
 	primary_clock.set_session (s);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
index c889eea0f7..2cf6750812 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::install_actions ()
 
 	ActionManager::register_toggle_action (option_actions, X_("StopPluginsWithTransport"), _("Stop plugins with transport"), mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::toggle_StopPluginsWithTransport));
 	ActionManager::register_toggle_action (option_actions, X_("VerifyRemoveLastCapture"), _("Verify remove last capture"), mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::toggle_VerifyRemoveLastCapture));
+	ActionManager::register_toggle_action (option_actions, X_("PeriodicSafetyBackups"), _("Make periodic safety backups"), mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::toggle_PeriodicSafetyBackups));
 	ActionManager::register_toggle_action (option_actions, X_("StopRecordingOnXrun"), _("Stop recording on xrun"), mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::toggle_StopRecordingOnXrun));
 	ActionManager::register_toggle_action (option_actions, X_("StopTransportAtEndOfSession"), _("Stop transport at session end"), mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::toggle_StopTransportAtEndOfSession));
 	ActionManager::register_toggle_action (option_actions, X_("GainReduceFastTransport"), _("-12dB gain reduce ffwd/rewind"), mem_fun (*this, &ARDOUR_UI::toggle_GainReduceFastTransport));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc
index 9565c46e40..34431aeafb 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc
@@ -398,6 +398,12 @@ ARDOUR_UI::toggle_VerifyRemoveLastCapture()
 	ActionManager::toggle_config_state ("options", "VerifyRemoveLastCapture", &Configuration::set_verify_remove_last_capture, &Configuration::get_verify_remove_last_capture);
 }
 
+void
+ARDOUR_UI::toggle_PeriodicSafetyBackups()
+{
+	ActionManager::toggle_config_state ("options", "PeriodicSafetyBackups", &Configuration::set_periodic_safety_backups, &Configuration::get_periodic_safety_backups);
+}
+
 void
 ARDOUR_UI::toggle_StopRecordingOnXrun()
 {
@@ -891,6 +897,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::parameter_changed (const char* parameter_name)
 		ActionManager::map_some_state ("options", "LatchedRecordEnable", &Configuration::get_latched_record_enable);
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("verify-remove-last-capture")) {
 		ActionManager::map_some_state ("options",  "VerifyRemoveLastCapture", &Configuration::get_verify_remove_last_capture);
+	} else if (PARAM_IS ("periodic-safety-backups")) {
+		ActionManager::map_some_state ("options",  "PeriodicSafetyBackups", &Configuration::get_periodic_safety_backups);
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("stop-recording-on-xrun")) {
 		ActionManager::map_some_state ("options",  "StopRecordingOnXrun", &Configuration::get_stop_recording_on_xrun);
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("stop-at-session-end")) {
@@ -944,8 +952,6 @@ ARDOUR_UI::parameter_changed (const char* parameter_name)
 		map_meter_hold ();
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("meter-falloff")) {
 		map_meter_falloff ();
-	} else if (PARAM_IS ("verify-remove-last-capture")) {
-		ActionManager::map_some_state ("options", "VerifyRemoveLastCapture", &Configuration::get_verify_remove_last_capture);
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("video-pullup") || PARAM_IS ("smpte-format")) {
 		if (session) {
 			primary_clock.set (session->audible_frame(), true);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index 2fc4488fab..8ea8aaf87d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -2105,16 +2105,16 @@ Editor::set_state (const XMLNode& node)
 
 	if ((prop = node.property ("follow-playhead"))) {
 		bool yn = (prop->value() == "yes");
+		set_follow_playhead (yn);
 		RefPtr<Action> act = ActionManager::get_action (X_("Editor"), X_("toggle-follow-playhead"));
 		if (act) {
 			RefPtr<ToggleAction> tact = RefPtr<ToggleAction>::cast_dynamic(act);
-			/* do it twice to force the change */
-			tact->set_active (!yn);
-			tact->set_active (yn);
+			if (tact->get_active() != yn) {
+				tact->set_active (yn);
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
-
 	if ((prop = node.property ("region-list-sort-type"))) {
 		region_list_sort_type = (Editing::RegionListSortType) -1; // force change 
 		reset_region_list_sort_type(str2regionlistsorttype(prop->value()));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
index 327a2d2e8e..8748816c31 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ class Editor : public PublicEditor
 	void toggle_xfades_active ();
 	void toggle_xfade_visibility ();
 	bool xfade_visibility() const { return _xfade_visibility; }
+	void update_xfade_visibility ();
 	void update_crossfade_model ();
 	void set_crossfade_model (ARDOUR::CrossfadeModel);
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_actions.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_actions.cc
index 4ce9be20bd..3525910250 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_actions.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_actions.cc
@@ -1065,9 +1065,12 @@ Editor::toggle_xfades_active ()
 void
 Editor::toggle_xfade_visibility ()
 {
-	ActionManager::toggle_config_state ("Editor", "toggle-xfades-visibility", &Configuration::set_xfades_visible, &Configuration::get_xfades_visible);
+	ActionManager::toggle_config_state ("Editor", "toggle-xfades-visible", &Configuration::set_xfades_visible, &Configuration::get_xfades_visible);
 }
 
+/** A Configuration parameter has changed.
+ * @param parameter_name Name of the changed parameter.
+ */
 void
 Editor::parameter_changed (const char* parameter_name)
 {
@@ -1092,6 +1095,7 @@ Editor::parameter_changed (const char* parameter_name)
 		ActionManager::map_some_state ("Editor", "toggle-xfades-active", &Configuration::get_xfades_active);
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("xfades-visible")) {
 		ActionManager::map_some_state ("Editor", "toggle-xfades-visible", &Configuration::get_xfades_visible);
+		update_xfade_visibility ();
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("auto-xfade")) {
 		ActionManager::map_some_state ("Editor", "toggle-auto-xfades", &Configuration::get_auto_xfade);
 	} else if (PARAM_IS ("xfade-model")) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
index b098815208..917f93243e 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
@@ -3535,3 +3535,21 @@ Editor::set_fade_out_active (bool yn)
 	}
 }
 
+
+/** Update crossfade visibility after its configuration has been changed */
+void
+Editor::update_xfade_visibility ()
+{
+	_xfade_visibility = Config->get_xfades_visible ();
+	
+	for (TrackViewList::iterator i = track_views.begin(); i != track_views.end(); ++i) {
+		AudioTimeAxisView* v = dynamic_cast<AudioTimeAxisView*>(*i);
+		if (v) {
+			if (_xfade_visibility) {
+				v->show_all_xfades ();
+			} else {
+				v->hide_all_xfades ();
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/po/sv_SE.po b/gtk2_ardour/po/sv_SE.po
index cc567f3fb9..2bf641b089 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/po/sv_SE.po
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/po/sv_SE.po
@@ -1350,6 +1350,10 @@ msgstr "Stoppa insticksprogram vid stopp"
 msgid "Verify remove last capture"
 msgstr "Bekräfta borttagning av senaste inspelade ljudet"
 
+#: gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc:405
+msgid "Make periodic safety backups"
+msgstr "Gör periodiska säkerhetskopior"
+
 #: ../ardour_ui_ed.cc:411
 msgid "Stop recording on xrun"
 msgstr "Stanna inspelning vid xrun-förekomst"
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view.cc
index d46c457fea..1351ef9105 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view.cc
@@ -221,6 +221,9 @@ TimeAxisView::show_at (double y, int& nth, VBox *parent)
 	order = nth;
 	_hidden = false;
 	
+	/* height in pixels depends on _order, so update it now we've changed _order */
+	set_height (height_style);
+	
 	effective_height = height;
 
 	/* now show children */
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h
index 62bf826dc9..395732e727 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/configuration_vars.h
@@ -137,6 +137,8 @@ CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, use_vst, "use-vst", true)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, subframes_per_frame, "subframes-per-frame", 100)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, saved_history_depth, "save-history-depth", 100)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, use_overlap_equivalency, "use-overlap-equivalency", false)
+CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, periodic_safety_backups, "periodic-safety-backups", true)
+CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, periodic_safety_backup_interval, "periodic-safety-backup-interval", 120)
 
 /* BWAV */
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
index 71f990928b..d173f43407 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
@@ -336,6 +336,8 @@ class Session : public PBD::StatefulDestructible
 	void disable_record (bool rt_context, bool force = false);
 	void step_back_from_record ();
 	
+	void maybe_write_autosave ();
+
 	/* Proxy signal for region hidden changes */
 
 	sigc::signal<void,boost::shared_ptr<Region> > RegionHiddenChange;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/crossfade.cc b/libs/ardour/crossfade.cc
index d75758dfb0..f142d57628 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/crossfade.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/crossfade.cc
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ Crossfade::compute (boost::shared_ptr<AudioRegion> a, boost::shared_ptr<AudioReg
 
 			_in = bottom;
 			_out = top;
-			_anchor_point = StartOfIn;
+			_anchor_point = EndOfOut;
 
 			if (model == FullCrossfade) {
 				_position = bottom->first_frame(); // "{"
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index 609725c201..e60774e2b1 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -593,6 +593,14 @@ Session::load_diskstreams (const XMLNode& node)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void
+Session::maybe_write_autosave()
+{
+        if (dirty() && record_status() != Recording) {
+                save_state("", true);
+        }
+}
+
 void
 Session::remove_pending_capture_state ()
 {
@@ -700,7 +708,7 @@ Session::save_state (string snapshot_name, bool pending)
 	tmp_path += snapshot_name;
 	tmp_path += ".tmp";
 
-	cerr << "actually writing state\n";
+	cerr << "actually writing state to " << xml_path << endl;
 
 	if (!tree.write (tmp_path)) {
 		error << string_compose (_("state could not be saved to %1"), tmp_path) << endmsg;