diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
index f08b0ff6ce..fee9e47094 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
@@ -1720,7 +1720,7 @@ private:
 
 RCOptionEditor::RCOptionEditor ()
 	: OptionEditor (Config, string_compose (_("%1 Preferences"), PROGRAM_NAME))
-	, Tabbable (*this, _("Preferences"))
+	, Tabbable (*this, _("Preferences")) /* pack self-as-vbox into tabbable */
         , _rc_config (Config)
 	, _mixer_strip_visibility ("mixer-element-visibility")
 {
@@ -3248,3 +3248,20 @@ RCOptionEditor::populate_sync_options ()
 
 	parameter_changed ("sync-source");
 }
+
+Gtk::Window*
+RCOptionEditor::use_own_window ()
+{
+	bool new_window = !own_window();
+	
+	Gtk::Window* win = Tabbable::use_own_window ();
+
+	if (win && new_window) {
+		win->set_name ("PreferencesWindow");
+		ARDOUR_UI::instance()->setup_toplevel_window (*win, _("Preferences"), this);
+
+		cerr << "created prefs window\n";
+	}
+
+	return win;
+}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.h b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.h
index a74df7cfde..1681a92a2b 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ public:
 
 	void populate_sync_options ();
 
+	Gtk::Window* use_own_window ();
+	
 private:
 	void parameter_changed (std::string const &);
 	void ltc_generator_volume_changed ();