diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/engine_dialog.cc b/gtk2_ardour/engine_dialog.cc
index f82f45bce7..69dc179798 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/engine_dialog.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/engine_dialog.cc
@@ -1364,8 +1364,15 @@ EngineControl::set_samplerate_popdown_strings ()
 	if (!s.empty()) {
 		if (ARDOUR::AudioEngine::instance()->running()) {
 			sample_rate_combo.set_active_text (rate_as_string (backend->sample_rate()));
-		}
-		else if (desired.empty ()) {
+		} else if (ARDOUR_UI::instance()->session_loaded) {
+			float active_sr = ARDOUR_UI::instance()->the_session()->nominal_sample_rate ();
+
+			if (std::find (sr.begin (), sr.end (), active_sr) == sr.end ()) {
+				active_sr = sr.front ();
+			}
+
+			sample_rate_combo.set_active_text (rate_as_string (active_sr));
+		} else if (desired.empty ()) {
 			float new_active_sr = backend->default_sample_rate ();
 
 			if (std::find (sr.begin (), sr.end (), new_active_sr) == sr.end ()) {
@@ -1376,7 +1383,6 @@ EngineControl::set_samplerate_popdown_strings ()
 		} else {
 			sample_rate_combo.set_active_text (desired);
 		}
-
 	}
 	update_sensitivity ();
 }