diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/insert_remove_time_dialog.cc b/gtk2_ardour/insert_remove_time_dialog.cc
index 89136865d5..342e7d3cb7 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/insert_remove_time_dialog.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/insert_remove_time_dialog.cc
@@ -72,9 +72,15 @@ InsertRemoveTimeDialog::InsertRemoveTimeDialog (PublicEditor& e, bool remove)
 	duration_clock.set_mode (ARDOUR_UI::instance()->primary_clock->mode());
 	table->attach (duration_clock, 1, 2, 1, 2);
 
-	//if a Range is selected, assume the user wants to insert/remove the length of the range
-	if ( _editor.get_selection().time.length() != 0 ) {
-		duration_clock.set_duration (_editor.get_selection().time.start_time().distance (_editor.get_selection().time.start_time()), true);
+	std::cerr << "dist "
+	          << _editor.get_selection().time.start_time().distance (_editor.get_selection().time.start_time()).str()
+	          << " length "
+	          << _editor.get_selection().time.length().str()
+	          << std::endl;
+	
+	//if a Range is selected, assume the user wants to insert/remove the length of the range	//if a Range is selected, assume the user wants to insert/remove the length of the range
+	if (!_editor.get_selection().time.length().is_zero ()) {
+		duration_clock.set_duration (_editor.get_selection().time.length(), true);
 	} else {
 		timepos_t const pos = _editor.get_preferred_edit_position (EDIT_IGNORE_MOUSE);
 		duration_clock.set_duration (timecnt_t (pos));