diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc
index 98fda9e265..6972517e81 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ TriggerUI::TriggerUI ()
 	, _follow_context_menu (0)
 	, _context_menu (0)
 	, _ignore_menu_action (false)
+	, _color_dialog (nullptr)
 {
 	if (follow_strings.empty()) {
 		follow_strings.push_back (follow_action_to_string (FollowAction (FollowAction::None)));
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ TriggerUI::TriggerUI ()
 
 TriggerUI::~TriggerUI()
 {
+	delete _color_dialog;
 	trigger_swap_connection.disconnect ();
 	trigger_connections.drop_connections ();
 }
@@ -142,19 +144,23 @@ TriggerUI::trigger_swap (uint32_t n)
 void
 TriggerUI::choose_color ()
 {
-	_color_dialog.get_color_selection()->set_has_opacity_control (false);
-	_color_dialog.get_color_selection()->set_has_palette (true);
-	_color_dialog.get_ok_button()->signal_clicked().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (_color_dialog, &Gtk::Dialog::response), Gtk::RESPONSE_ACCEPT));
-	_color_dialog.get_cancel_button()->signal_clicked().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (_color_dialog, &Gtk::Dialog::response), Gtk::RESPONSE_CANCEL));
+	if (!_color_dialog) {
+		_color_dialog = new Gtk::ColorSelectionDialog;
+	}
+
+	_color_dialog->get_color_selection()->set_has_opacity_control (false);
+	_color_dialog->get_color_selection()->set_has_palette (true);
+	_color_dialog->get_ok_button()->signal_clicked().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (_color_dialog, &Gtk::Dialog::response), Gtk::RESPONSE_ACCEPT));
+	_color_dialog->get_cancel_button()->signal_clicked().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (_color_dialog, &Gtk::Dialog::response), Gtk::RESPONSE_CANCEL));
 
 	Gdk::Color c = Gtkmm2ext::gdk_color_from_rgba(trigger()->color());
 
-	_color_dialog.get_color_selection()->set_previous_color (c);
-	_color_dialog.get_color_selection()->set_current_color (c);
+	_color_dialog->get_color_selection()->set_previous_color (c);
+	_color_dialog->get_color_selection()->set_current_color (c);
 
-	switch (_color_dialog.run()) {
+	switch (_color_dialog->run()) {
 		case Gtk::RESPONSE_ACCEPT: {
-			c = _color_dialog.get_color_selection()->get_current_color();
+			c = _color_dialog->get_color_selection()->get_current_color();
 			color_t ct = Gtkmm2ext::gdk_color_to_rgba(c);
 			trigger()->set_color(ct);
 		} break;
@@ -162,7 +168,7 @@ TriggerUI::choose_color ()
 			break;
 	}
 
-	_color_dialog.hide ();
+	_color_dialog->hide ();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h
index f6fc7d938d..dd5d46613d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ protected:
 	Gtk::Menu*              _context_menu;
 	bool                    _ignore_menu_action;
 
-	Gtk::ColorSelectionDialog   _color_dialog;
+	Gtk::ColorSelectionDialog*   _color_dialog;
 
 	void                  trigger_swap (uint32_t);
 	PBD::ScopedConnection trigger_swap_connection;