diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index b4399b03fa..ebdbc06517 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -1882,12 +1882,25 @@ ARDOUR_UI::transport_roll ()
 	bool rolling = _session->transport_rolling();
 
 	if (_session->get_play_loop()) {
-		/* XXX it is not possible to just leave seamless loop and keep
-		   playing at present (nov 4th 2009)
+
+		/* If loop playback is not a mode, then we should cancel
+		   it when this action is requested. If it is a mode
+		   we just leave it in place.
 		*/
-		if (!Config->get_seamless_loop()) {
-			_session->request_play_loop (false, true);
-		}
+
+		if (!Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+			/* XXX it is not possible to just leave seamless loop and keep
+			   playing at present (nov 4th 2009)
+			*/
+			if (!Config->get_seamless_loop()) {
+				/* stop loop playback and stop rolling */
+				_session->request_play_loop (false, true);
+			} else if (rolling) {
+				/* stop loop playback but keep rolling */
+				_session->request_play_loop (false, false);
+			}
+		} 
+
 	} else if (_session->get_play_range () && !Config->get_always_play_range()) {
 		/* stop playing a range if we currently are */
 		_session->request_play_range (0, true);
@@ -1944,7 +1957,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::toggle_roll (bool with_abort, bool roll_out_of_bounded_mode)
 				/* disk buffers are normal, so we can keep playing */
 				affect_transport = false;
 			}
-			_session->request_play_loop (false, true);
+			_session->request_play_loop (false, affect_transport);
 		} else if (_session->get_play_range ()) {
 			affect_transport = false;
 			_session->request_play_range (0, true);
@@ -1975,16 +1988,23 @@ ARDOUR_UI::toggle_session_auto_loop ()
 
 	if (_session->get_play_loop()) {
 
-		if (_session->transport_rolling()) {
+		/* looping enabled, our job is to disable it */
 
-			_session->request_locate (looploc->start(), true);
-			_session->request_play_loop (false);
+		_session->request_play_loop (false);
 
-		} else {
-			_session->request_play_loop (false);
-		}
 	} else {
-		_session->request_play_loop (true);
+
+		/* looping not enabled, our job is to enable it.
+
+		   loop-is-NOT-mode: this action always starts the transport rolling.
+		   loop-IS-mode:     this action simply sets the loop play mechanism, but
+		                        does not start transport.
+		*/
+		if (Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+			_session->request_play_loop (true, false);
+		} else {
+			_session->request_play_loop (true, true);
+		}
 	}
 	
 	//show the loop markers
@@ -2112,7 +2132,11 @@ ARDOUR_UI::map_transport_state ()
 
 			auto_loop_button.set_active (true);
 			play_selection_button.set_active (false);
-			roll_button.set_active (false);
+			if (Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+				roll_button.set_active (true);
+			} else {
+				roll_button.set_active (false);
+			}
 
 		} else {
 
@@ -2134,7 +2158,11 @@ ARDOUR_UI::map_transport_state ()
 		stop_button.set_active (true);
 		roll_button.set_active (false);
 		play_selection_button.set_active (false);
-		auto_loop_button.set_active (false);
+		if (Config->get_loop_is_mode ()) {
+			auto_loop_button.set_active (_session->get_play_loop());
+		} else {
+			auto_loop_button.set_active (false);
+		}
 		update_disk_space ();
 	}
 }
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc
index 408c8e654a..add985dd6f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc
@@ -1434,6 +1434,12 @@ AudioRegionView::set_one_waveform_color (ArdourCanvas::WaveView* wave)
 		ArdourCanvas::color_to_rgba (fill, r, g, b, a);
 		fill = ArdourCanvas::rgba_to_color (r, g, b, 0.85); /* magic number, not user controllable */
 		outline = ARDOUR_UI::config()->get_canvasvar_WaveForm();
+
+		if (!Config->get_show_name_highlight()) {
+			/* recolor name text because it needs to contrast with
+			   the waveform background, not the name highlight.
+			*/
+		}
 	}
 
 	wave->set_fill_color (fill);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
index d4a5c57705..7d6be32e22 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
@@ -1358,8 +1358,18 @@ RCOptionEditor::RCOptionEditor ()
 	Gtkmm2ext::UI::instance()->set_tip (tsf->tip_widget(), 
 					    string_compose (_("<b>When enabled</b> %1 will stop recording if an over- or underrun is detected by the audio engine"),
 							    PROGRAM_NAME));
-	add_option (_("Transport"), tsf);
 
+	tsf = new BoolOption (
+		     "loop-is-mode",
+		     _("Play loop is a transport mode"),
+		     sigc::mem_fun (*_rc_config, &RCConfiguration::get_loop_is_mode),
+		     sigc::mem_fun (*_rc_config, &RCConfiguration::set_loop_is_mode)
+		     );
+	Gtkmm2ext::UI::instance()->set_tip (tsf->tip_widget(), 
+					    (_("<b>When enabled</b> the loop button does not start playback but forces playback to always play the loop\n\n"
+					       "<b>When disabled</b> the loop button starts playing the loop, but stop then cancels loop playback")));
+	add_option (_("Transport"), tsf);
+	
 	tsf = new BoolOption (
 		     "create-xrun-marker",
 		     _("Create markers where xruns occur"),
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
index 6b14680b42..d290d8ebc8 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/rc_configuration_vars.h
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, stop_recording_on_xrun, "stop-recording-on-xrun", false)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, create_xrun_marker, "create-xrun-marker", true)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, stop_at_session_end, "stop-at-session-end", false)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, seamless_loop, "seamless-loop", false)
+CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, loop_is_mode, "loop-is-mode", false)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (framecnt_t, preroll, "preroll", 0)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (framecnt_t, postroll, "postroll", 0)
 CONFIG_VARIABLE (float, rf_speed, "rf-speed", 2.0f)
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
index 20feb27001..15af67ada7 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
@@ -1262,7 +1262,7 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API Session : public PBD::StatefulDestructible, public PBD::Scop
 
 	int           start_midi_thread ();
 
-	void set_play_loop (bool yn);
+	void set_play_loop (bool yn, double speed);
 	void unset_play_loop ();
 	void overwrite_some_buffers (Track *);
 	void flush_all_inserts ();
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_process.cc b/libs/ardour/session_process.cc
index 6bfb250aec..eb5c0de294 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_process.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_process.cc
@@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ Session::process_event (SessionEvent* ev)
 
 	switch (ev->type) {
 	case SessionEvent::SetLoop:
-		set_play_loop (ev->yes_or_no);
+		set_play_loop (ev->yes_or_no, ev->speed);
 		break;
 
 	case SessionEvent::AutoLoop:
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_transport.cc b/libs/ardour/session_transport.cc
index 38ad521235..ea9f5d28dd 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_transport.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_transport.cc
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "pbd/enumwriter.h"
 #include "pbd/pthread_utils.h"
 #include "pbd/memento_command.h"
+#include "pbd/stacktrace.h"
 
 #include "midi++/mmc.h"
 #include "midi++/port.h"
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@
 #include "ardour/click.h"
 #include "ardour/debug.h"
 #include "ardour/location.h"
+#include "ardour/profile.h"
 #include "ardour/session.h"
 #include "ardour/slave.h"
 #include "ardour/operations.h"
@@ -158,10 +160,11 @@ Session::force_locate (framepos_t target_frame, bool with_roll)
 }
 
 void
-Session::request_play_loop (bool yn, bool leave_rolling)
+Session::request_play_loop (bool yn, bool change_transport_roll)
 {
 	SessionEvent* ev;
 	Location *location = _locations->auto_loop_location();
+	double target_speed;
 
 	if (location == 0 && yn) {
 		error << _("Cannot loop - no loop range defined")
@@ -169,14 +172,44 @@ Session::request_play_loop (bool yn, bool leave_rolling)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	ev = new SessionEvent (SessionEvent::SetLoop, SessionEvent::Add, SessionEvent::Immediate, 0, (leave_rolling ? 1.0 : 0.0), yn);
-	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::Transport, string_compose ("Request set loop = %1, leave rolling ? %2\n", yn, leave_rolling));
+	if (change_transport_roll) {
+		if (transport_rolling()) {
+			/* start looping at current speed */
+			target_speed = transport_speed ();
+		} else {
+			/* currently stopped */
+			if (yn) {
+				/* start looping at normal speed */
+				target_speed = 1.0;
+			} else {
+				target_speed = 0.0;
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		/* leave the speed alone */
+		target_speed = transport_speed ();
+	}
+
+	ev = new SessionEvent (SessionEvent::SetLoop, SessionEvent::Add, SessionEvent::Immediate, 0, target_speed, yn);
+	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::Transport, string_compose ("Request set loop = %1, change roll state ? %2\n", yn, change_transport_roll));
 	queue_event (ev);
 
-	if (!leave_rolling && !yn && Config->get_seamless_loop() && transport_rolling()) {
-		// request an immediate locate to refresh the tracks
-		// after disabling looping
-		request_locate (_transport_frame-1, false);
+	if (yn) {
+		if (!change_transport_roll) {
+			if (!transport_rolling()) {
+				/* we're not changing transport state, but we do want
+				   to set up position for the new loop. Don't
+				   do this if we're rolling already.
+				*/
+				request_locate (location->start(), false);
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (!change_transport_roll && Config->get_seamless_loop() && transport_rolling()) {
+			// request an immediate locate to refresh the tracks
+			// after disabling looping
+			request_locate (_transport_frame-1, false);
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -531,8 +564,6 @@ Session::non_realtime_stop (bool abort, int on_entry, bool& finished)
 
 				/* explicit return request pre-queued in event list. overrides everything else */
 
-				cerr << "explicit auto-return to " << _requested_return_frame << endl;
-
 				_transport_frame = _requested_return_frame;
 				do_locate = true;
 
@@ -589,8 +620,10 @@ Session::non_realtime_stop (bool abort, int on_entry, bool& finished)
 	*/
 
 	if (ptw & PostTransportClearSubstate) {
-		_play_range = false;
-		unset_play_loop ();
+		unset_play_range ();
+		if (!Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+			unset_play_loop ();
+		}
 	}
 
 	/* this for() block can be put inside the previous if() and has the effect of ... ??? what */
@@ -657,8 +690,10 @@ Session::non_realtime_stop (bool abort, int on_entry, bool& finished)
 	}
 
 	if (ptw & PostTransportStop) {
-		_play_range = false;
-		play_loop = false;
+		unset_play_range ();
+		if (!Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+			unset_play_loop ();
+		}
 	}
 
 	PositionChanged (_transport_frame); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
@@ -723,7 +758,7 @@ Session::unset_play_loop ()
 }
 
 void
-Session::set_play_loop (bool yn)
+Session::set_play_loop (bool yn, double speed)
 {
 	/* Called from event-handling context */
 
@@ -782,12 +817,24 @@ Session::set_play_loop (bool yn)
 			merge_event (new SessionEvent (SessionEvent::AutoLoopDeclick, SessionEvent::Replace, dcp, dcl, 0.0f));
 			merge_event (new SessionEvent (SessionEvent::AutoLoop, SessionEvent::Replace, loc->end(), loc->start(), 0.0f));
 
-			/* locate to start of loop and roll. 
+			/* if requested to roll, locate to start of loop and
+			 * roll but ONLY if we're not already rolling.
 
 			   args: positition, roll=true, flush=true, with_loop=false, force buffer refill if seamless looping
 			*/
 
-			start_locate (loc->start(), true, true, false, Config->get_seamless_loop());
+			if (Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+				/* loop IS a transport mode: if already
+				   rolling, do not locate to loop start.
+				*/
+				if (!transport_rolling() && (speed != 0.0)) {
+					start_locate (loc->start(), true, true, false, Config->get_seamless_loop());
+				}
+			} else {
+				if (speed != 0.0) {
+					start_locate (loc->start(), true, true, false, Config->get_seamless_loop());
+				}
+			}
 		}
 
 	} else {
@@ -983,7 +1030,9 @@ Session::locate (framepos_t target_frame, bool with_roll, bool with_flush, bool
 
 				// located outside the loop: cancel looping directly, this is called from event handling context
 
-				set_play_loop (false);
+				if (!Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+					set_play_loop (false, _transport_speed);
+				}
 				
 			} else if (_transport_frame == al->start()) {
 
@@ -1080,12 +1129,27 @@ Session::set_transport_speed (double speed, bool abort, bool clear_state, bool a
 			stop_transport (abort);
 		}
 
-		unset_play_loop ();
+		if (!Config->get_loop_is_mode()) {
+			unset_play_loop ();
+		}
 
 	} else if (transport_stopped() && speed == 1.0) {
 
 		/* we are stopped and we want to start rolling at speed 1 */
 
+		if (Config->get_loop_is_mode() && play_loop) {
+
+			Location *location = _locations->auto_loop_location();
+			
+			if (location != 0) {
+				if (_transport_frame != location->start()) {
+					/* jump to start and then roll from there */
+					request_locate (location->start(), true);
+					return;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		if (Config->get_monitoring_model() == HardwareMonitoring && config.get_auto_input()) {
 			set_track_monitor_input_status (false);
 		}