diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc
index 345c417ebe..f9bb56a8c0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc
@@ -161,7 +161,6 @@ AudioStreamView::redisplay_track ()
 	// Flag region views as invalid and disable drawing
 	for (i = region_views.begin(); i != region_views.end(); ++i) {
 		(*i)->set_valid (false);
-		(*i)->enable_display (false);
 	}
 
 	// Add and display views, and flag them as valid
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc
index bad4a36a4a..a2475c7605 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc
@@ -79,8 +79,6 @@ AutomationRegionView::~AutomationRegionView ()
 void
 AutomationRegionView::init (bool /*wfd*/)
 {
-	_enable_display = false;
-
 	RegionView::init (false);
 
 	reset_width_dependent_items ((double) _region->length_samples() / samples_per_pixel);
@@ -90,7 +88,7 @@ AutomationRegionView::init (bool /*wfd*/)
 	fill_color_name = "midi frame base";
 	set_colors ();
 
-	_enable_display = true;
+	enable_display ();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
index ca8fa80124..b1d0ebec65 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ AutomationStreamView::add_region_view_internal (boost::shared_ptr<Region> region
 				arv->line()->set_list (list);
 			}
 			(*i)->set_valid (true);
-			(*i)->enable_display (wait_for_data);
+			(*i)->enable_display ();
 			display_region(arv);
 
 			return 0;
@@ -123,11 +123,7 @@ AutomationStreamView::add_region_view_internal (boost::shared_ptr<Region> region
 
 	/* follow global waveform setting */
 
-	if (wait_for_data) {
-		region_view->enable_display(true);
-		// region_view->midi_region()->midi_source(0)->load_model();
-	}
-
+	region_view->enable_display();
 	display_region (region_view);
 
 	/* catch regionview going away */
@@ -174,7 +170,7 @@ AutomationStreamView::redisplay_track ()
 	// Flag region views as invalid and disable drawing
 	for (list<RegionView*>::iterator i = region_views.begin(); i != region_views.end(); ++i) {
 		(*i)->set_valid (false);
-		(*i)->enable_display(false);
+		(*i)->disable_display ();
 	}
 
 	// Add and display region views, and flag them as valid
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index 60640cf84f..b57f684e42 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -3323,7 +3323,6 @@ TrimDrag::finished (GdkEvent* event, bool movement_occurred)
 		} else {
 			for (list<DraggingView>::const_iterator i = _views.begin(); i != _views.end(); ++i) {
 				i->view->thaw_after_trim ();
-				i->view->enable_display (true);
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
index ee874b0c4e..cdf969e8b9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ MidiRegionView::parameter_changed (std::string const & p)
 {
 	RegionView::parameter_changed (p);
 	if (p == "display-first-midi-bank-as-zero") {
-		if (_enable_display) {
+		if (display_enabled()) {
 			redisplay_model();
 		}
 	} else if (p == "color-regions-using-track-color") {
@@ -253,12 +253,13 @@ MidiRegionView::MidiRegionView (const MidiRegionView& other, boost::shared_ptr<M
 }
 
 void
-MidiRegionView::init (bool wfd)
+MidiRegionView::init (bool /*wfd*/)
 {
 	PublicEditor::DropDownKeys.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &MidiRegionView::drop_down_keys));
 
 	_model = midi_region()->midi_source(0)->model();
-	_enable_display = false;
+	assert (_model);
+
 	fill_color_name = "midi frame base";
 
 	RegionView::init (false);
@@ -270,16 +271,12 @@ MidiRegionView::init (bool wfd)
 	region_resized (ARDOUR::bounds_change);
 	//region_locked ();
 
+	disable_display ();
 	set_colors ();
-
-	_enable_display = true;
-	if (_model) {
-		if (wfd) {
-			display_model (_model);
-		}
-	}
-
 	reset_width_dependent_items (_pixel_width);
+	enable_display ();
+
+	display_model (_model);
 
 	group->raise_to_top();
 
@@ -907,9 +904,7 @@ MidiRegionView::display_model(boost::shared_ptr<MidiModel> model)
 	/* Don't signal as nobody else needs to know until selection has been altered. */
 	clear_events();
 
-	if (_enable_display) {
-		redisplay_model();
-	}
+	redisplay_model ();
 }
 
 void
@@ -1378,14 +1373,16 @@ MidiRegionView::region_resized (const PropertyChange& what_changed)
 {
 	RegionView::region_resized(what_changed); // calls RegionView::set_duration()
 
+#if 0
 	/* catch end and start trim so we can update the view*/
 	if (!what_changed.contains (ARDOUR::Properties::start) &&
 	    what_changed.contains (ARDOUR::Properties::length)) {
-		enable_display (true);
+		enable_display ();
 	} else if (what_changed.contains (ARDOUR::Properties::start) &&
 	    what_changed.contains (ARDOUR::Properties::length)) {
-		enable_display (true);
+		enable_display ();
 	}
+#endif
 }
 
 void
@@ -1393,7 +1390,7 @@ MidiRegionView::reset_width_dependent_items (double pixel_width)
 {
 	RegionView::reset_width_dependent_items(pixel_width);
 
-	if (_enable_display) {
+	if (display_enabled()) {
 		redisplay_model();
 	}
 
@@ -1443,10 +1440,6 @@ MidiRegionView::set_height (double height)
 void
 MidiRegionView::apply_note_range (uint8_t min, uint8_t max, bool force)
 {
-	if (!_enable_display) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	if (!force && _current_range_min == min && _current_range_max == max) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -1482,7 +1475,6 @@ MidiRegionView::add_ghost (TimeAxisView& tv)
 	}
 
 	ghosts.push_back (ghost);
-	enable_display (true);
 	return ghost;
 }
 
@@ -4022,9 +4014,15 @@ MidiRegionView::color_handler ()
 }
 
 void
-MidiRegionView::enable_display (bool yn)
+MidiRegionView::enable_display ()
 {
-	RegionView::enable_display (yn);
+	bool was_disabled = !display_enabled();
+
+	RegionView::enable_display ();
+
+	if (was_disabled && display_enabled()) {
+		redisplay_model ();
+	}
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h
index 8359ebb974..15a608c9d4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ public:
 
 	void selection_as_notelist (Notes& selected, bool allow_all_if_none_selected = false);
 
-	void enable_display (bool);
+	void enable_display ();
 
 	void set_channel_selector_scoped_note(NoteBase* note){ _channel_selection_scoped_note = note; }
 	NoteBase* channel_selector_scoped_note(){  return _channel_selection_scoped_note; }
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc
index 1c5a42dd1d..4b05241e33 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc
@@ -158,15 +158,20 @@ MidiStreamView::add_region_view_internal (boost::shared_ptr<Region> r, bool wait
 	}
 
 	region_views.push_front (region_view);
-
-	/* display events and find note range */
+	region_view->disable_display ();
 	display_region (region_view, wait_for_data);
 
 	/* fit note range if we are importing */
 	if (_trackview.session()->operation_in_progress (Operations::insert_file)) {
+		/* this will call display_region() */
 		set_note_range (ContentsRange);
+	} else {
+		/* display events and find note range */
+		region_view->redisplay_model ();
 	}
 
+	region_view->enable_display ();
+
 	/* catch regionview going away */
 	boost::weak_ptr<Region> wr (region); // make this explicit
 	region->DropReferences.connect (*this, invalidator (*this), boost::bind (&MidiStreamView::remove_region_view, this, wr), gui_context());
@@ -177,13 +182,13 @@ MidiStreamView::add_region_view_internal (boost::shared_ptr<Region> r, bool wait
 }
 
 void
-MidiStreamView::display_region(MidiRegionView* region_view, bool load_model)
+MidiStreamView::display_region (MidiRegionView* region_view, bool load_model)
 {
 	if (!region_view) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	region_view->enable_display (true);
+	region_view->disable_display ();
 	region_view->set_height (child_height());
 
 	boost::shared_ptr<MidiSource> source (region_view->midi_region()->midi_source(0));
@@ -201,7 +206,8 @@ MidiStreamView::display_region(MidiRegionView* region_view, bool load_model)
 	_range_dirty = update_data_note_range (source->model()->lowest_note(), source->model()->highest_note());
 
 	// Display region contents
-	region_view->display_model(source->model());
+	region_view->enable_display ();
+	region_view->display_model (source->model());
 }
 
 
@@ -278,7 +284,7 @@ MidiStreamView::redisplay_track ()
 	// Flag region views as invalid and disable drawing
 	for (i = region_views.begin(); i != region_views.end(); ++i) {
 		(*i)->set_valid(false);
-		(*i)->enable_display(false);
+		(*i)->disable_display ();
 	}
 
 	// Add and display region views, and flag them as valid
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/region_view.cc
index 948d28840f..0a8392a3d0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/region_view.cc
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ RegionView::RegionView (ArdourCanvas::Container*          parent,
 	, editor(0)
 	, current_visible_sync_position(0.0)
 	, valid(false)
-	, _enable_display(false)
+	, _disable_display (1)
 	, _pixel_width(1.0)
 	, in_destructor(false)
 	, wait_for_data(false)
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ RegionView::RegionView (ArdourCanvas::Container*          parent,
 	, editor(0)
 	, current_visible_sync_position(0.0)
 	, valid(false)
-	, _enable_display(false)
+	, _disable_display (1)
 	, _pixel_width(1.0)
 	, in_destructor(false)
 	, wait_for_data(false)
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ RegionView::init (bool wfd)
 	update_cue_markers ();
 
 	if (wfd) {
-		_enable_display = true;
+		enable_display ();
 	}
 
 	/* derived class calls set_height () including RegionView::set_height() in ::init() */
@@ -1256,3 +1256,26 @@ RegionView::drop_cue_marker (ArdourMarker* m)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+void
+RegionView::enable_display ()
+{
+	std::cerr << "EnableDisplay " << this << " currently " << _disable_display << std::endl;
+	if (_disable_display) {
+		_disable_display--;
+	}
+}
+
+void
+RegionView::disable_display ()
+{
+	std::cerr << "DisableDisplay " << this << " currently " << _disable_display << std::endl;
+	_disable_display++;
+}
+
+bool
+RegionView::display_enabled() const
+{
+	return !_disable_display;
+}
+
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/region_view.h b/gtk2_ardour/region_view.h
index 5578dabdf1..084ef46612 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/region_view.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/region_view.h
@@ -101,7 +101,9 @@ public:
 	virtual void entered () {}
 	virtual void exited () {}
 
-	virtual void enable_display(bool yn) { _enable_display = yn; }
+	virtual void enable_display();
+	virtual void disable_display();
+	bool display_enabled() const;
 	virtual void update_coverage_frame (LayerDisplay);
 
 	static PBD::Signal1<void,RegionView*> RegionViewGoingAway;
@@ -184,10 +186,10 @@ protected:
 	std::vector<ControlPoint *> control_points;
 	double current_visible_sync_position;
 
-	bool    valid; ///< see StreamView::redisplay_diskstream()
-	bool    _enable_display; ///< see StreamView::redisplay_diskstream()
-	double  _pixel_width;
-	bool    in_destructor;
+	bool      valid; ///< see StreamView::redisplay_diskstream()
+	uint32_t _disable_display; ///< see StreamView::redisplay_diskstream()
+	double   _pixel_width;
+	bool      in_destructor;
 
 	bool wait_for_data;
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc
index 6195e1cce1..8ac6c88318 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc
@@ -247,8 +247,6 @@ StreamView::layer_regions()
 			region_views.erase (i);
 			i = tmp;
 			continue;
-		} else {
-			(*i)->enable_display(true);
 		}
 
 		if (copy.size() == 0) {