diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/vca_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/vca_time_axis.cc
index ce221047cb..754a8b4508 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/vca_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/vca_time_axis.cc
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ VCATimeAxisView::~VCATimeAxisView ()
 void
 VCATimeAxisView::self_delete ()
 {
+	/* reset reference immediately rather than deferring to idle */
+	_vca.reset ();
 	delete_when_idle (this);
 }