diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h
index 2a8b4dc9a1..00bf680217 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/vst_plugin.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #ifndef __ardour_vst_plugin_h__
 #define __ardour_vst_plugin_h__
 
+#include <pbd/signals.h>
 #include "ardour/plugin.h"
 
 struct _AEffect;
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ public:
 	framecnt_t signal_latency() const;
 	std::set<Evoral::Parameter> automatable() const;
 
+	PBD::Signal0<void> LoadPresetProgram;
+
 	bool parameter_is_audio (uint32_t) const { return false; }
 	bool parameter_is_control (uint32_t) const { return true; }
 	bool parameter_is_input (uint32_t) const { return true; }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc b/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc
index 1fd8d8cd55..a3dca8b3fa 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@ VSTPlugin::load_plugin_preset (PresetRecord r)
 	sscanf (r.uri.c_str(), "VST:%d:%d", &id, &index);
 #endif
 	_state->want_program = index;
+	LoadPresetProgram (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */ /* used for macvst */
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -429,6 +430,7 @@ VSTPlugin::load_user_preset (PresetRecord r)
 					_state->wanted_chunk = raw_data;
 					_state->wanted_chunk_size = size;
 					_state->want_chunk = 1;
+					LoadPresetProgram (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */ /* used for macvst */
 					return true;
 				}
 			}