diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index e823f9e69a..626f264610 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -279,6 +279,13 @@ Drag::Drag (Editor* e, ArdourCanvas::Item* i, Temporal::TimeDomain td, bool trac
 {
 }
 
+void
+Drag::set_time_domain (Temporal::TimeDomain td)
+{
+	/* must be called early in life of a Drag */
+	_time_domain = td;
+}
+
 timepos_t
 Drag::pixel_to_time (double x) const
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
index c239a20614..60341acba1 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.h
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public:
 	}
 
 	Temporal::TimeDomain time_domain() const { return _time_domain; }
-
+	void set_time_domain (Temporal::TimeDomain);
 
 	void swap_grab (ArdourCanvas::Item *, Gdk::Cursor *, uint32_t);
 	bool motion_handler (GdkEvent*, bool);