diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.cc
index ff8b1932a2..a8051f0eb4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.cc
@@ -40,6 +40,27 @@
 using namespace ARDOUR;
 using namespace Gtk;
 
+AutomationBarController::AutomationBarController (
+		boost::shared_ptr<Automatable>       printer,
+		boost::shared_ptr<AutomationControl> ac,
+		Adjustment*                          adj)
+	: Gtkmm2ext::BarController(*adj, ac)
+	, _printer(printer)
+	, _controllable(ac)
+{
+}
+
+std::string
+AutomationBarController::get_label (double& xpos)
+{
+        xpos = 0.5;
+        return _printer->value_as_string (_controllable);
+}
+
+AutomationBarController::~AutomationBarController()
+{
+}
+
 AutomationController::AutomationController(boost::shared_ptr<Automatable>       printer,
                                            boost::shared_ptr<AutomationControl> ac,
                                            Adjustment*                          adj)
@@ -67,7 +88,7 @@ AutomationController::AutomationController(boost::shared_ptr<Automatable>
 
 		_widget = but;
 	} else {
-		Gtkmm2ext::BarController* bar = manage(new Gtkmm2ext::BarController(*adj, ac));
+		AutomationBarController* bar = manage(new AutomationBarController(_printer, ac, adj));
 
 		bar->set_name(X_("ProcessorControlSlider"));
 		bar->StartGesture.connect(
@@ -124,13 +145,6 @@ AutomationController::create(boost::shared_ptr<Automatable>       printer,
 	return boost::shared_ptr<AutomationController>(new AutomationController(printer, ac, adjustment));
 }
 
-std::string
-AutomationController::get_label (double& xpos)
-{
-        xpos = 0.5;
-        return _printer->value_as_string (_controllable);
-}
-
 void
 AutomationController::display_effective_value()
 {
@@ -314,7 +328,7 @@ AutomationController::stop_updating ()
 void
 AutomationController::disable_vertical_scroll ()
 {
-	Gtkmm2ext::BarController* bar = dynamic_cast<Gtkmm2ext::BarController*>(_widget);
+	AutomationBarController* bar = dynamic_cast<AutomationBarController*>(_widget);
 	if (bar) {
 		bar->set_tweaks (
 			Gtkmm2ext::PixFader::Tweaks(bar->tweaks() |
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.h b/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.h
index db79ac249e..c5d64c16c7 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_controller.h
@@ -42,6 +42,18 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 	class Automatable;
 }
 
+class AutomationBarController : public Gtkmm2ext::BarController {
+public:
+	AutomationBarController(boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Automatable>       printer,
+	                        boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::AutomationControl> ac,
+	                        Gtk::Adjustment*                             adj);
+	~AutomationBarController();
+private:
+	std::string get_label (double&);
+	boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Automatable>       _printer;
+	boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::AutomationControl> _controllable;
+};
+
 /** A BarController which displays the value and allows control of an AutomationControl */
 class AutomationController : public Gtk::Alignment {
 public:
@@ -72,7 +84,6 @@ private:
 	AutomationController (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Automatable>       printer,
 	                      boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::AutomationControl> ac,
 	                      Gtk::Adjustment*                             adj);
-	std::string get_label (double&);
 
 	void start_touch();
 	void end_touch();