diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/audio_backend.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/audio_backend.h
index 142fff1022..d6b57eac41 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/audio_backend.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/audio_backend.h
@@ -432,6 +432,12 @@ public:
 	 */
 	virtual bool can_change_buffer_size_when_running () const = 0;
 
+	/** return true if the backend is configured using a single
+	 * full-duplex device and measuring systemic latency can
+	 * produce meaningful results.
+	 */
+	virtual bool can_measure_systemic_latency () const = 0;
+
 	/** return true if the backend can measure and update
 	 * systemic latencies without restart.
 	 */
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
index 907d015fac..e02338ee04 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.cc
@@ -375,6 +375,12 @@ AlsaAudioBackend::set_device_name (const std::string& d)
 	return rv;
 }
 
+bool
+AlsaAudioBackend::can_measure_systemic_latency () const
+{
+	return _input_audio_device == _output_audio_device && _input_audio_device != get_standard_device_name (DeviceNone);
+}
+
 int
 AlsaAudioBackend::set_sample_rate (float sr)
 {
diff --git a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.h b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.h
index 0569c6ad2d..aa8486c1bd 100644
--- a/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.h
+++ b/libs/backends/alsa/alsa_audiobackend.h
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ class AlsaAudioBackend : public AudioBackend, public PortEngineSharedImpl
 		bool can_change_sample_rate_when_running () const;
 		bool can_change_buffer_size_when_running () const;
 
+		bool can_measure_systemic_latency () const;
 		bool can_change_systemic_latency_when_running () const { return true; }
 
 		bool can_request_update_devices () { return true; }
diff --git a/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.h b/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.h
index 950e3fb917..9421e20aae 100644
--- a/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.h
+++ b/libs/backends/coreaudio/coreaudio_backend.h
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ class CoreAudioBackend : public AudioBackend, public PortEngineSharedImpl {
 
 	bool can_change_sample_rate_when_running () const;
 	bool can_change_buffer_size_when_running () const;
+	bool can_measure_systemic_latency () const { return true; }
 
 	int set_device_name (const std::string&);
 	int set_input_device_name (const std::string&);
diff --git a/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.h b/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.h
index df7b739b31..f1517998f0 100644
--- a/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.h
+++ b/libs/backends/dummy/dummy_audiobackend.h
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ class DummyAudioBackend : public AudioBackend, public PortEngineSharedImpl {
 
 		bool can_change_sample_rate_when_running () const;
 		bool can_change_buffer_size_when_running () const;
+		bool can_measure_systemic_latency () const { return true; }
 
 		int set_device_name (const std::string&);
 		int set_sample_rate (float);
diff --git a/libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.h b/libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.h
index 7dfd35572d..6427af5d29 100644
--- a/libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.h
+++ b/libs/backends/jack/jack_audiobackend.h
@@ -190,6 +190,9 @@ class JACKAudioBackend : public AudioBackend {
     bool can_set_period_size () const {
 	return true;
     }
+    bool can_measure_systemic_latency () const {
+	return false;
+    }
 
     int      midi_event_get (pframes_t& timestamp, size_t& size, uint8_t const** buf, void* port_buffer, uint32_t event_index);
     int      midi_event_put (void* port_buffer, pframes_t timestamp, const uint8_t* buffer, size_t size);
diff --git a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.h b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.h
index 09d2909b84..63d1d1f0fb 100644
--- a/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.h
+++ b/libs/backends/portaudio/portaudio_backend.h
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ class PortAudioBackend : public AudioBackend, public PortEngineSharedImpl {
 		uint32_t     systemic_midi_input_latency (std::string const) const;
 		uint32_t     systemic_midi_output_latency (std::string const) const;
 
+		bool can_measure_systemic_latency () const { return true; }
 		bool can_set_systemic_midi_latencies () const { return true; }
 
 		/* External control app */
diff --git a/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.h b/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.h
index 969f8c97a9..c8b7686496 100644
--- a/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.h
+++ b/libs/backends/pulseaudio/pulseaudio_backend.h
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ public:
 
 	bool can_change_sample_rate_when_running () const;
 	bool can_change_buffer_size_when_running () const;
+	bool can_measure_systemic_latency () const { return false; }
 
 	int set_device_name (const std::string&);
 	int set_sample_rate (float);