diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/generic_pluginui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/generic_pluginui.cc
index e90d3b2502..d1a52ef813 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/generic_pluginui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/generic_pluginui.cc
@@ -84,10 +84,11 @@ using namespace ArdourWidgets;
 using namespace Gtk;
 using namespace ARDOUR_UI_UTILS;
 
-GenericPluginUI::GenericPluginUI (std::shared_ptr<PlugInsertBase> pib, bool scrollable)
+GenericPluginUI::GenericPluginUI (std::shared_ptr<PlugInsertBase> pib, bool scrollable, bool ctrls_only)
 	: PlugUIBase (pib)
 	, automation_menu (0)
 	, is_scrollable(scrollable)
+	, want_ctrl_only(ctrls_only)
 	, _plugin_pianokeyboard_expander (_("MIDI Keyboard (audition only)"))
 	, _piano (0)
 	, _piano_velocity (*manage (new Adjustment (100, 1, 127, 1, 16)))
@@ -121,7 +122,9 @@ GenericPluginUI::GenericPluginUI (std::shared_ptr<PlugInsertBase> pib, bool scro
 	automation_latch_all_button.set_text (GainMeterBase::astate_string (ARDOUR::Latch));
 	automation_latch_all_button.set_name (X_("generic button"));
 
-	if (_pib->ui_elements () & PlugInsertBase::MIDIKeyboard) {
+	if (ctrls_only) {
+		// relax
+	} else if (_pib->ui_elements () & PlugInsertBase::MIDIKeyboard) {
 		_piano = new APianoKeyboard ();
 		_piano->set_can_focus ();
 
@@ -149,11 +152,11 @@ GenericPluginUI::GenericPluginUI (std::shared_ptr<PlugInsertBase> pib, bool scro
 		pack_end (plugin_analysis_expander, false, false);
 	}
 
-	if (_pib->provides_stats ()) {
+	if (!ctrls_only && _pib->provides_stats ()) {
 		pack_end (cpuload_expander, false, false);
 	}
 
-	if (!plugin->get_docs().empty()) {
+	if (!ctrls_only && !plugin->get_docs().empty()) {
 		pack_end (description_expander, false, false);
 	}
 
@@ -175,7 +178,9 @@ GenericPluginUI::GenericPluginUI (std::shared_ptr<PlugInsertBase> pib, bool scro
 		settings_box.pack_start (*automation_hbox, false, false, 6);
 	}
 
-	main_contents.pack_start (settings_box, false, false);
+	if (!ctrls_only) {
+		main_contents.pack_start (settings_box, false, false);
+	}
 
 	if (_pi) {
 		_pi->ActiveChanged.connect (active_connection, invalidator (*this), std::bind (&GenericPluginUI::processor_active_changed, this, std::weak_ptr<Processor>(_pi)), gui_context());
@@ -498,7 +503,7 @@ GenericPluginUI::automatic_layout (const std::vector<ControlUI*>& control_uis)
 			// we can lay them out a bit more nicely later.
 			cui_controls_list.push_back(cui);
 
-		} else if (cui->display) {
+		} else if (cui->display && !want_ctrl_only) {
 
 			output_table->attach (*cui, output_col, output_col + 1, output_row, output_row+1,
 			                     FILL|EXPAND, FILL);
@@ -619,7 +624,7 @@ GenericPluginUI::automatic_layout (const std::vector<ControlUI*>& control_uis)
 		delete output_table;
 	}
 
-	if (plugin->has_inline_display () && plugin->inline_display_in_gui ()) {
+	if (!want_ctrl_only && plugin->has_inline_display () && plugin->inline_display_in_gui ()) {
 		PluginDisplay* pd = manage (new PluginDisplay (plugin, 300));
 		hpacker.pack_end (*pd, true, true);
 	}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h
index 4503c30bd8..8a4e1dc80c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ private:
 class GenericPluginUI : public PlugUIBase, public Gtk::VBox
 {
 public:
-	GenericPluginUI (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PlugInsertBase> plug, bool scrollable=false);
+	GenericPluginUI (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PlugInsertBase> plug, bool scrollable = false, bool ctrls_only = false);
 	~GenericPluginUI ();
 
 	gint get_preferred_height () { return prefheight; }
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ private:
 
 	gint prefheight;
 	bool is_scrollable;
+	bool want_ctrl_only;
 
 	struct MeterInfo {
 		ArdourWidgets::FastMeter* meter;