diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
index 6683dd6cda..0a652b722d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
@@ -940,16 +940,14 @@ ARDOUR_UI::use_menubar_as_top_menubar ()
 void
 ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 {
-	if (!keyboard || !mixer || !editor || !meterbridge) {
-		return;
-	}
-
 	/* XXX this is all a bit dubious. add_extra_xml() uses
 	   a different lifetime model from add_instant_xml().
 	*/
 
-	XMLNode* node = new XMLNode (keyboard->get_state());
-	Config->add_extra_xml (*node);
+	if (keyboard) {
+		XMLNode* node = new XMLNode (keyboard->get_state());
+		Config->add_extra_xml (*node);
+	}
 
 	XMLNode* window_node = new XMLNode (X_("UI"));
 	window_node->set_property (_status_bar_visibility.get_state_name().c_str(), _status_bar_visibility.get_state_value ());
@@ -996,13 +994,6 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 
 	window_node->add_child_nocopy (*tearoff_node);
 
-	XMLNode& enode (editor->get_state());
-	XMLNode& mnode (mixer->get_state());
-	XMLNode& bnode (meterbridge->get_state());
-	XMLNode& pnode (rc_option_editor->get_state());
-	XMLNode& rnode (recorder->get_state());
-	XMLNode& tnode (trigger_page->get_state());
-
 	/* store clock modes */
 	XMLNode* cnode = new XMLNode(X_("ClockModes"));
 	for (auto const& i: AudioClock::clocks) {
@@ -1022,14 +1013,54 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 
 	UIConfiguration::instance().save_state ();
 
+	XMLNode* enode (nullptr);
+	XMLNode* mnode (nullptr);
+	XMLNode* bnode (nullptr);
+	XMLNode* pnode (nullptr);
+	XMLNode* rnode (nullptr);
+	XMLNode* tnode (nullptr);
+
+	if (editor) {
+		enode = &editor->get_state();
+	}
+	if (mixer) {
+		mnode = &mixer->get_state();
+	}
+	if (meterbridge) {
+		bnode = &meterbridge->get_state();
+	}
+	if (rc_option_editor) {
+		pnode = &rc_option_editor->get_state();
+	}
+	if (recorder) {
+		rnode = &recorder->get_state();
+	}
+	if (trigger_page) {
+		tnode = &trigger_page->get_state();
+	}
+
 	if (_session) {
+
 		_session->add_instant_xml (main_window_node);
-		_session->add_instant_xml (enode);
-		_session->add_instant_xml (mnode);
-		_session->add_instant_xml (pnode);
-		_session->add_instant_xml (bnode);
-		_session->add_instant_xml (rnode);
-		_session->add_instant_xml (tnode);
+
+		if (enode) {
+			_session->add_instant_xml (*enode);
+		}
+		if (mnode) {
+			_session->add_instant_xml (*mnode);
+		}
+		if (bnode) {
+			_session->add_instant_xml (*bnode);
+		}
+		if (pnode) {
+			_session->add_instant_xml (*pnode);
+		}
+		if (rnode) {
+			_session->add_instant_xml (*rnode);
+		}
+		if (tnode) {
+			_session->add_instant_xml (*tnode);
+		}
 		_session->add_instant_xml (*cnode);
 		if (location_ui) {
 			_session->add_instant_xml (location_ui->ui().get_state ());
@@ -1044,13 +1075,26 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 	/* save current Window settings and sizes for new sessions */
 	{
 		Config->add_instant_xml (main_window_node);
-		Config->add_instant_xml (enode);
-		Config->add_instant_xml (mnode);
-		Config->add_instant_xml (pnode);
-		Config->add_instant_xml (bnode);
-		Config->add_instant_xml (rnode);
-		Config->add_instant_xml (tnode);
-		Config->add_instant_xml (*cnode);
+
+		if (enode) {
+			Config->add_instant_xml (*enode);
+		}
+		if (mnode) {
+			Config->add_instant_xml (*mnode);
+		}
+		if (bnode) {
+			Config->add_instant_xml (*bnode);
+		}
+		if (pnode) {
+			Config->add_instant_xml (*pnode);
+		}
+		if (rnode) {
+			Config->add_instant_xml (*rnode);
+		}
+		if (tnode) {
+			Config->add_instant_xml (*tnode);
+		}
+
 		if (location_ui) {
 			Config->add_instant_xml (location_ui->ui().get_state ());
 		}
@@ -1061,13 +1105,12 @@ ARDOUR_UI::save_ardour_state ()
 		}
 	}
 
-	delete &enode;
-	delete &mnode;
-	delete &bnode;
-	delete &pnode;
-	delete &rnode;
-	delete &tnode;
-	delete cnode;
+	delete enode;
+	delete mnode;
+	delete bnode;
+	delete pnode;
+	delete rnode;
+	delete tnode;
 
 	Keyboard::save_keybindings ();
 }