diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/location.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/location.h
index 101d4f2450..d119c4f0fa 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/location.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/location.h
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ public:
 	bool is_xrun() const { return _flags & IsXrun; }
 	bool matches (Flags f) const { return _flags & f; }
 
+	/* any range with start < end  -- not a marker */
+	bool is_range() const { return _flags & (IsSessionRange | IsRangeMarker | IsAutoLoop | IsAutoPunch | IsCDMarker); }
+
 	Flags flags () const { return _flags; }
 
 	std::shared_ptr<SceneChange> scene_change() const { return _scene_change; }
@@ -258,7 +261,7 @@ public:
 
 	bool clear_cue_markers (samplepos_t start, samplepos_t end);
 
-	void cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, bool const copy);
+	void cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, SectionOperation const op);
 
 	void ripple (timepos_t const & at, timecnt_t const & distance, bool include_locked, bool notify);
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h
index 9883e6b8d3..d3d21372e5 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ public:
 	/* end of vfunc-based API */
 
 	void shift (timepos_t const &, timecnt_t const &);
-	void cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, bool const copy);
+	void cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, SectionOperation const op);
 
 	/* controls use set_solo() to modify this route's solo state */
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
index 0233514383..8002b9f7cc 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
@@ -1169,7 +1169,7 @@ public:
 	void clear_range_selection ();
 	void clear_object_selection ();
 
-	void cut_copy_section (Temporal::timepos_t const& start, Temporal::timepos_t const& end, Temporal::timepos_t const& to, bool const copy = false);
+	void cut_copy_section (Temporal::timepos_t const& start, Temporal::timepos_t const& end, Temporal::timepos_t const& to, SectionOperation const op);
 
 	/* buffers for gain and pan */
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/types.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/types.h
index a7dd3a01d3..7e3a5683f9 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/types.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/types.h
@@ -249,6 +249,13 @@ enum RecordMode {
 	RecSoundOnSound
 };
 
+enum SectionOperation {
+	CopyPasteSection,
+	CutPasteSection,
+	InsertSection,
+	DeleteSection,
+};
+
 enum NoteMode {
 	Sustained,
 	Percussive
diff --git a/libs/ardour/location.cc b/libs/ardour/location.cc
index 5692270ca1..2fece2adc3 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/location.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/location.cc
@@ -1681,7 +1681,7 @@ Locations::ripple (timepos_t const & at, timecnt_t const & distance, bool includ
 }
 
 void
-Locations::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, bool const copy)
+Locations::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, SectionOperation const op)
 {
 	LocationList ll;
 	LocationList pastebuf;
@@ -1699,20 +1699,38 @@ Locations::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timep
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (!i->is_mark ()) {
+		if (i->is_range ()) {
 			if (i->start () >= start && i->end () <= end) {
 				/* range is inside the selction, process it */
 			} else if (i->start () < start && i->end () < start) {
 				/* range is entirely outside the selection, possible ripple it */
 			} else if (i->start () >= end && i->end () >= end) {
 				/* range is entirely outside the selection, possible ripple it */
+			} else if (i->start () < start && i->end () >= end) {
+				/* selection is inside the range, possible shorten or extend it */
+				if (op != DeleteSection && op != InsertSection) {
+					continue;
+				}
 			} else {
 				// TODO - How do we handle ranges that intersect start/end ?
 				continue;
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (!copy) {
+		if (op == DeleteSection) {
+			timecnt_t distance = end.distance(start);
+			if (i->start () >= start && i->start () < end) {
+				_session.locations()->remove (i);
+			} else if (i->start () >= end) {
+				if (i->is_range ()) {
+					i->set (i->start () + distance, i->end () + distance);
+				} else {
+					i->set_start (i->start () + distance);
+				}
+			} else if (i->end () >= start) {
+				i->set (i->start (), i->end () + distance);
+			}
+		} else if (op == CutPasteSection) {
 			timecnt_t distance = timecnt_t (i->start ().time_domain ());
 
 			if (i->start () < start) {
@@ -1738,7 +1756,7 @@ Locations::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timep
 			}
 
 
-			if (i->is_mark ()) {
+			if (!i->is_range ()) {
 				i->set_start (i->start () + distance);
 				continue;
 			}
@@ -1756,7 +1774,7 @@ Locations::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timep
 
 			i->set (i->start () + distance, i->end () + dist_end);
 
-		} else {
+		} else if (op == CopyPasteSection) {
 			if (i->start() >= start && i->start() < end) {
 				Location* copy = new Location (*i);
 				pastebuf.push_back (copy);
@@ -1764,27 +1782,30 @@ Locations::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timep
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (copy) {
+	if (op == CopyPasteSection || op == InsertSection) {
 		/* ripple */
 		timecnt_t distance = start.distance(end);
 		for (auto const& i : ll) {
 			if (i->start() >= to) {
-				if (i->is_mark ()) {
-					i->set_start (i->start () + distance);
-				} else {
+				if (i->is_range ()) {
 					i->set (i->start () + distance, i->end () + distance);
+				} else {
+					i->set_start (i->start () + distance);
 				}
-			} else if (!i->is_mark () && i->end() >= to) {
+			} else if (i->is_range () && i->end() >= to) {
 				i->set_end (i->end () + distance);
 			}
 		}
+	}
+	if (op == CopyPasteSection) {
 		/* paste */
+		timecnt_t distance = start.distance(end);
 		distance = start.distance (to);
 		for (auto const& i : pastebuf) {
-			if (i->is_mark ()) {
-				i->set_start (i->start () + distance);
-			} else {
+			if (i->is_range ()) {
 				i->set (i->start () + distance, i->end () + distance);
+			} else {
+				i->set_start (i->start () + distance);
 			}
 			locations.push_back (i);
 			added (i); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
diff --git a/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc b/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc
index df1fe28162..f46c1bd175 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/luabindings.cc
@@ -2343,6 +2343,13 @@ LuaBindings::common (lua_State* L)
 		.addConst ("SrcBest", ARDOUR::SrcQuality(SrcBest))
 		.endNamespace ()
 
+		.beginNamespace ("SectionOperation")
+		.addConst ("CopyPaste", ARDOUR::SectionOperation(CopyPasteSection))
+		.addConst ("CutPaste", ARDOUR::SectionOperation(CutPasteSection))
+		.addConst ("Insert", ARDOUR::SectionOperation(InsertSection))
+		.addConst ("Delete", ARDOUR::SectionOperation(DeleteSection))
+		.endNamespace ()
+
 		.beginNamespace ("MeterType")
 		.addConst ("MeterMaxSignal", ARDOUR::MeterType(MeterMaxSignal))
 		.addConst ("MeterMaxPeak", ARDOUR::MeterType(MeterMaxPeak))
diff --git a/libs/ardour/route.cc b/libs/ardour/route.cc
index c39a8ea4c2..be1db1416a 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/route.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/route.cc
@@ -4556,7 +4556,7 @@ Route::shift (timepos_t const & pos, timecnt_t const & distance)
 }
 
 void
-Route::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, bool const copy)
+Route::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, SectionOperation const op)
 {
 	ControllableSet acs;
 	automatables (acs);
@@ -4571,14 +4571,27 @@ Route::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t
 		}
 
 		XMLNode &before = al->get_state ();
-		std::shared_ptr<Evoral::ControlList> cl = copy ? al->copy (start, end) : al->cut (start, end);
-		if (!copy) {
+		std::shared_ptr<Evoral::ControlList> cl;
+		if (op == CopyPasteSection) {
+			cl = al->copy (start, end);
+		} else if (op == CutPasteSection) {
+			cl = al->cut (start, end);
+		} else if (op == DeleteSection) {
+			al->clear (start, end);
+		}
+
+		if (op == CutPasteSection || op == DeleteSection) {
 			/* remove time (negative distance), ripple */
 			al->shift (start, end.distance (start));
 		}
-		/* make space at the inserion point */
-		al->shift (to, start.distance (end));
-		al->paste (*cl, to);
+
+		if (op != DeleteSection) {
+			/* make space at the inserion point */
+			al->shift (to, start.distance (end));
+		}
+		if (op == CopyPasteSection || op == CutPasteSection) {
+			al->paste (*cl, to);
+		}
 
 		XMLNode &after = al->get_state ();
 		_session.add_command (new MementoCommand<AutomationList> (*al.get(), &before, &after));
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session.cc b/libs/ardour/session.cc
index 7a9f9fb993..36a3852dbf 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session.cc
@@ -7225,16 +7225,25 @@ Session::clear_object_selection ()
 }
 
 void
-Session::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, bool const copy)
+Session::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos_t const& to, SectionOperation const op)
 {
 	std::list<TimelineRange> ltr;
 	TimelineRange tlr (start, end, 0);
 	ltr.push_back (tlr);
 
-	if (copy) {
-		begin_reversible_command (_("Copy Section"));
-	} else {
-		begin_reversible_command (_("Move Section"));
+	switch (op) {
+		case CopyPasteSection:
+			begin_reversible_command (_("Copy Section"));
+			break;
+		case CutPasteSection:
+			begin_reversible_command (_("Move Section"));
+			break;
+		case InsertSection:
+			begin_reversible_command (_("Insert Section"));
+			break;
+		case DeleteSection:
+			begin_reversible_command (_("Delete Section"));
+			break;
 	}
 
 	{
@@ -7247,16 +7256,26 @@ Session::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos
 			pl->clear_changes ();
 			pl->clear_owned_changes ();
 
-			std::shared_ptr<Playlist> p = copy ? pl->copy (ltr) : pl->cut (ltr);
-			if (!copy) {
+			std::shared_ptr<Playlist> p;
+			if (op == CopyPasteSection) {
+				p = pl->copy (ltr);
+			} else if (op == CutPasteSection || op == DeleteSection) {
+				p = pl->cut (ltr);
+			}
+
+			if (op == CutPasteSection || op == DeleteSection) {
 				pl->ripple (start, end.distance(start), NULL);
 			}
 
-			/* now make space at the insertion-point */
-			pl->split (to);
-			pl->ripple (to, start.distance(end), NULL);
+			if (op != DeleteSection) {
+				/* now make space at the insertion-point */
+				pl->split (to);
+				pl->ripple (to, start.distance(end), NULL);
+			}
 
-			pl->paste (p, to, 1);
+			if (op == CopyPasteSection || op == CutPasteSection) {
+				pl->paste (p, to, 1);
+			}
 
 			vector<Command*> cmds;
 			pl->rdiff (cmds);
@@ -7273,12 +7292,12 @@ Session::cut_copy_section (timepos_t const& start, timepos_t const& end, timepos
 
 	/* automation */
 	for (auto& r : *(routes.reader())) {
-		r->cut_copy_section (start, end, to, copy);
+		r->cut_copy_section (start, end, to, op);
 	}
 
 	{
 		XMLNode &before = _locations->get_state();
-		_locations->cut_copy_section (start, end, to, copy);
+		_locations->cut_copy_section (start, end, to, op);
 		XMLNode &after = _locations->get_state();
 		add_command (new MementoCommand<Locations> (*_locations, &before, &after));
 	}
diff --git a/share/scripts/s_cut_copy_section.lua b/share/scripts/s_cut_copy_section.lua
index 58bf3d93ad..62c9dffc82 100644
--- a/share/scripts/s_cut_copy_section.lua
+++ b/share/scripts/s_cut_copy_section.lua
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@ function factory (params) return function ()
 	local start = Temporal.timepos_t(96000)
 	local _end = Temporal.timepos_t(144000)
 	local to = Temporal.timepos_t(480000)
-	Session:cut_copy_section (start, _end, to , true)
+	Session:cut_copy_section (start, _end, to , ARDOUR.SectionOperation.CopyPaste)
 end end