diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/io.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/io.h
index 32962fef0d..a3c0468930 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/io.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/io.h
@@ -371,7 +371,6 @@ class IO : public SessionObject, public AutomatableControls, public Latent
 	int32_t find_input_port_hole (const char* base);
 	int32_t find_output_port_hole (const char* base);
 
-	void create_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ();
 	void setup_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ();
 	std::string bundle_channel_name (uint32_t, uint32_t) const;
 };
diff --git a/libs/ardour/audio_track_importer.cc b/libs/ardour/audio_track_importer.cc
index 0f17323dc6..32b90e00dc 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/audio_track_importer.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/audio_track_importer.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <pbd/convert.h>
 
 #include <sstream>
+#include <algorithm>
 
 #include "i18n.h"
 
@@ -154,10 +155,6 @@ AudioTrackImporter::parse_io ()
 		return false;
 	}
 	
-	// TODO
-	io->remove_property ("inputs");
-	io->remove_property ("outputs");
-	
 	XMLPropertyList const & props = io->properties();
 
 	for (XMLPropertyList::const_iterator it = props.begin(); it != props.end(); ++it) {
@@ -172,9 +169,18 @@ AudioTrackImporter::parse_io ()
 			(*it)->set_value (id.to_s());
 			id_ok = true;
 		} else if (!prop.compare("inputs")) {
-			// TODO Let the IO class do it's thing for now...
+			// TODO Handle this properly!
+			/* Input and output ports are counted and added empty, so that no in/output connecting function fails. */
+			uint32_t num_inputs = std::count ((*it)->value().begin(), (*it)->value().end(), '{');
+			std::string value;
+			for (uint32_t i = 0; i < num_inputs; i++) { value += "{}"; }
+			(*it)->set_value (value);
 		} else if (!prop.compare("outputs")) {
-			// TODO Let the IO class do it's thing for now...
+			// TODO See comments above
+			uint32_t num_outputs = std::count ((*it)->value().begin(), (*it)->value().end(), '{');
+			std::string value;
+			for (uint32_t i = 0; i < num_outputs; i++) { value += "{}"; }
+			(*it)->set_value (value);
 		} else {
 			std::cerr << string_compose (X_("AudioTrackImporter: did not recognise XML-property \"%1\""), prop) << endmsg;
 		}
diff --git a/libs/ardour/io.cc b/libs/ardour/io.cc
index dbe7b3c526..89b3b9e89f 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/io.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/io.cc
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ IO::IO (Session& s, const string& name,
 	
 	_session.add_controllable (_gain_control);
 
-	create_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ();
+	setup_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ();
 }
 
 IO::IO (Session& s, const XMLNode& node, DataType dt)
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ IO::IO (Session& s, const XMLNode& node, DataType dt)
 	
 	_session.add_controllable (_gain_control);
 
-	create_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ();
+	setup_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ();
 }
 
 IO::~IO ()
@@ -2586,7 +2586,7 @@ IO::update_port_total_latencies ()
 
 
 /**
- *  Setup bundles that describe our inputs and outputs.
+ *  Setup bundles that describe our inputs and outputs. Also creates bundles if necessary.
  */
 
 void
@@ -2594,6 +2594,13 @@ IO::setup_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ()
 {
         char buf[32];
 
+	if (!_bundle_for_inputs) {
+		_bundle_for_inputs.reset (new Bundle (true));
+	}
+	if (!_bundle_for_outputs) {
+		_bundle_for_outputs.reset (new Bundle (false));
+	}
+
 	_bundle_for_inputs->remove_channels ();
 	_bundle_for_outputs->remove_channels ();
 		
@@ -2614,19 +2621,6 @@ IO::setup_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ()
 	}
 }
 
-
-/**
- *  Create and setup bundles that describe our inputs and outputs.
- */
-
-void
-IO::create_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ()
-{
-	_bundle_for_inputs = boost::shared_ptr<Bundle> (new Bundle (true));
-        _bundle_for_outputs = boost::shared_ptr<Bundle> (new Bundle (false));
-        setup_bundles_for_inputs_and_outputs ();
-}
-
 /** @return Bundles connected to our inputs */
 BundleList
 IO::bundles_connected_to_inputs ()