diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/sfdb_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/sfdb_ui.cc
index cc9d09b654..21a9b0280d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/sfdb_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/sfdb_ui.cc
@@ -1317,6 +1317,25 @@ SoundFileOmega::SoundFileOmega (Gtk::Window& parent, string title, ARDOUR::Sessi
 	disposition_map.insert (pair<ustring,ImportDisposition>(_("all files in one region"), ImportMergeFiles));
 
 	chooser.signal_selection_changed().connect (mem_fun (*this, &SoundFileOmega::file_selection_changed));
+
+	/* set size requests for a couple of combos to allow them to display the longest text
+	   they will ever be asked to display.  This prevents them being resized when the user
+	   selects a file to import, which in turn prevents the size of the dialog from jumping
+	   around. */
+
+	vector<string> t;
+	t.push_back (_("one track per file"));
+	t.push_back (_("one track per channel"));
+	t.push_back (_("sequence files"));
+	t.push_back (_("all files in one region"));
+	set_size_request_to_display_given_text (channel_combo, t, COMBO_FUDGE + 10, 15);
+
+	t.clear ();
+	t.push_back (importmode2string (ImportAsTrack));
+	t.push_back (importmode2string (ImportToTrack));
+	t.push_back (importmode2string (ImportAsRegion));
+	t.push_back (importmode2string (ImportAsTapeTrack));
+	set_size_request_to_display_given_text (action_combo, t, COMBO_FUDGE + 10, 15);
 }
 
 void