diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.cc
index 87b48d986a..cd7d0fbd55 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <gtkmm2ext/doi.h>
 
 #include "ardour_dialog.h"
+#include "ardour_ui.h"
 #include "keyboard.h"
 #include "splash.h"
 
@@ -30,8 +31,6 @@ using namespace std;
 using namespace Gtk;
 using namespace Gtkmm2ext;
 
-sigc::signal<void> ArdourDialog::CloseAllDialogs;
-
 ArdourDialog::ArdourDialog (string title, bool modal, bool use_seperator)
 	: Dialog (title, modal, use_seperator)
         , _splash_pushed (false)
@@ -98,9 +97,7 @@ ArdourDialog::on_show ()
 void
 ArdourDialog::init ()
 {
-	set_type_hint(Gdk::WINDOW_TYPE_HINT_DIALOG);
 	set_border_width (10);
-	CloseAllDialogs.connect (
-		sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &ArdourDialog::response),
-		            RESPONSE_CANCEL));
+	// set_type_hint (Gdk::WINDOW_TYPE_HINT_DIALOG);
+	ARDOUR_UI::CloseAllDialogs.connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &ArdourDialog::response), RESPONSE_CANCEL));
 }
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.h
index 1008f63000..041b62e1cd 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_dialog.h
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ class ArdourDialog : public Gtk::Dialog, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 	void on_unmap ();
 	void on_show ();
 
-	static void close_all_dialogs () { CloseAllDialogs(); }
-
   private:
         bool _splash_pushed;
 	void init ();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index c138fb1567..a5c8cee44c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ sigc::signal<void,bool> ARDOUR_UI::Blink;
 sigc::signal<void>      ARDOUR_UI::RapidScreenUpdate;
 sigc::signal<void>      ARDOUR_UI::SuperRapidScreenUpdate;
 sigc::signal<void, framepos_t, bool, framepos_t> ARDOUR_UI::Clock;
+sigc::signal<void>      ARDOUR_UI::CloseAllDialogs;
 
 ARDOUR_UI::ARDOUR_UI (int *argcp, char **argvp[], const char* localedir)
 
@@ -886,7 +887,7 @@ If you still wish to quit, please use the\n\n\
 		_session = 0;
 	}
 
-	ArdourDialog::close_all_dialogs ();
+	close_all_dialogs ();
 	engine->stop (true);
 	quit ();
 }
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index a326669ec3..a695f7b8bd 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -189,6 +189,9 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 	 */
 	static sigc::signal<void, framepos_t, bool, framepos_t> Clock;
 
+	static void close_all_dialogs () { CloseAllDialogs(); }
+        static sigc::signal<void> CloseAllDialogs;
+
 	XMLNode* editor_settings() const;
 	XMLNode* mixer_settings () const;
 	XMLNode* keyboard_settings () const;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_window.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_window.cc
index 6330ecd6ac..f16032dc74 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_window.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_window.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <gtkmm2ext/doi.h>
 
 #include "ardour_window.h"
+#include "ardour_ui.h"
 #include "keyboard.h"
 
 using namespace std;
@@ -83,8 +84,12 @@ ArdourWindow::init ()
            
            (a) utility & dialog windows are considered to be part of the same level
            (b) they will float above normal windows without any particular effort
+	   (c) present()-ing them will make a utility float over a dialog or
+               vice versa.
         */
 
         set_type_hint (Gdk::WINDOW_TYPE_HINT_UTILITY);
+
+	ARDOUR_UI::CloseAllDialogs.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &ArdourWindow::hide));
 }