diff --git a/libs/ardour/fluid_synth.cc b/libs/ardour/fluid_synth.cc
index 333738766a..45653a9e70 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/fluid_synth.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/fluid_synth.cc
@@ -135,7 +135,12 @@ FluidSynth::midi_event (uint8_t const* const data, size_t len)
 		fluid_midi_event_set_key (_f_midi_event, data[1]);
 	}
 	if (len > 2) {
-		fluid_midi_event_set_value (_f_midi_event, data[2]);
+		if (0xe0 /*PITCH_BEND*/ == fluid_midi_event_get_type (_f_midi_event)) {
+			fluid_midi_event_set_value (_f_midi_event, 0);
+			fluid_midi_event_set_pitch (_f_midi_event, ((data[2] & 0x7f) << 7) | (data[1] & 0x7f));
+		} else {
+			fluid_midi_event_set_value (_f_midi_event, data[2]);
+		}
 	}
 	return FLUID_OK == fluid_synth_handle_midi_event (_synth, _f_midi_event);
 }
diff --git a/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.c b/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.c
index 4fc53a6d22..9a83a029a7 100644
--- a/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.c
+++ b/libs/plugins/a-fluidsynth.lv2/a-fluidsynth.c
@@ -446,8 +446,14 @@ run (LV2_Handle instance, uint32_t n_samples)
 				fluid_midi_event_set_key (self->fmidi_event, data[1]);
 			}
 			if (ev->body.size > 2) {
-				fluid_midi_event_set_value (self->fmidi_event, data[2]);
+				if (0xe0 /*PITCH_BEND*/ == fluid_midi_event_get_type (self->fmidi_event)) {
+					fluid_midi_event_set_value (self->fmidi_event, 0);
+					fluid_midi_event_set_pitch (self->fmidi_event, ((data[2] & 0x7f) << 7) | (data[1] & 0x7f));
+				} else {
+					fluid_midi_event_set_value (self->fmidi_event, data[2]);
+				}
 			}
+
 			fluid_synth_handle_midi_event (self->synth, self->fmidi_event);
 		}
 	}