diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc
index ce9d7d6946..a8a2dac2b4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_region_view.cc
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ AutomationRegionView::add_automation_event (GdkEvent *, timepos_t const & w, dou
 	if (_line->the_list()->editor_add (when, y, with_guard_points)) {
 
 		if (ac->automation_state () == ARDOUR::Off) {
-			ac->set_automation_state (ARDOUR::Play);
+			view->set_automation_state (ARDOUR::Play);
 		}
 		if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_automation_edit_cancels_auto_hide () && ac == view->session()->recently_touched_controllable ()) {
 			RouteTimeAxisView::signal_ctrl_touched (false);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
index 8ccd115452..363e291a4c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
@@ -791,8 +791,9 @@ AutomationTimeAxisView::add_automation_event (GdkEvent* event, timepos_t const &
 	if (list->editor_add (when, y, with_guard_points)) {
 
 		if (_control->automation_state () == ARDOUR::Off) {
-			_control->set_automation_state (ARDOUR::Play);
+			set_automation_state (ARDOUR::Play);
 		}
+
 		if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_automation_edit_cancels_auto_hide () && _control == _session->recently_touched_controllable ()) {
 			RouteTimeAxisView::signal_ctrl_touched (false);
 		}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.h b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.h
index c883c09125..82846abd66 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.h
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ public:
 		return _show_regions;
 	}
 
+	void set_automation_state (ARDOUR::AutoState);
+
 protected:
 	/* Note that for MIDI controller "automation" (in regions), all of these
 	 * may be set.  In this case, _automatable is likely _route so the
@@ -190,7 +192,6 @@ protected:
 	bool paste_one (Temporal::timepos_t const &, unsigned, float times, const Selection&, ItemCounts& counts, bool greedy=false);
 	void route_going_away ();
 
-	void set_automation_state (ARDOUR::AutoState);
 	bool ignore_state_request;
 	bool ignore_mode_request;