diff --git a/libs/canvas/canvas.cc b/libs/canvas/canvas.cc
index b2876d4a26..783f3dd678 100644
--- a/libs/canvas/canvas.cc
+++ b/libs/canvas/canvas.cc
@@ -1600,6 +1600,13 @@ GtkCanvas::grab_can_translate () const
 	return _grabbed_item->scroll_translation ();
 }
 
+void
+GtkCanvas::render (Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::Context> const & ctx, cairo_rectangle_t* r)
+{
+	ArdourCanvas::Rect rect (r->x, r->y, r->width + r->x, r->height + r->y);
+	Canvas::render (rect, ctx);
+}
+
 /** Create a GtkCanvaSViewport.
  *  @param hadj Adjustment to use for horizontal scrolling.
  *  @param vadj Adjustment to use for vertica scrolling.
diff --git a/libs/canvas/canvas/canvas.h b/libs/canvas/canvas/canvas.h
index c8d53a3e4f..e0d4b66014 100644
--- a/libs/canvas/canvas/canvas.h
+++ b/libs/canvas/canvas/canvas.h
@@ -249,12 +249,10 @@ public:
 
 	Glib::RefPtr<Pango::Context> get_pango_context();
 
-	void render (Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::Context> const & ctx, cairo_rectangle_t* r)
-	{
-		ArdourCanvas::Rect rect (r->x, r->y, r->width + r->x, r->height + r->y);
-		Canvas::render (rect, ctx);
-	}
-
+	/* This is the render method called via the Gtkmm2ext::CairoCanvas API,
+	   which is distinct from ArdourCanvas.
+	*/
+	void render (Cairo::RefPtr<Cairo::Context> const & ctx, cairo_rectangle_t* r);
 	void prepare_for_render () const;
 
 	uint32_t background_color() { return Canvas::background_color (); }