diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in b/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in
index 7c6e0501fa..6ec5d131c9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardev_common.sh.in
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 
 libs=$TOP/@LIBS@
 
+# http://tracker.ardour.org/view.php?id=5605#c18109
+export GTK2_RC_FILES=/nonexistent
+
 #
 # when running ardev, the various parts of Ardour have not been consolidated into the locations that they
 # would normally end up after an install. We therefore need to set up environment variables so that we