diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/triggerbox.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/triggerbox.h
index 33ce1805d1..dc30f79e3e 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/triggerbox.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/triggerbox.h
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API Trigger : public PBD::Stateful {
 	/* this accepts timepos_t because the origin is assumed to be the start */
 	virtual void set_length (timepos_t const &) = 0;
 
+	virtual double position_as_fraction() const = 0;
+
 	void set_use_follow (bool yn);
 	bool use_follow() const { return _use_follow; }
 
@@ -210,6 +212,8 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API AudioTrigger : public Trigger {
 	timepos_t current_length() const; /* offset from start of data */
 	timepos_t natural_length() const; /* offset from start of data */
 
+	double position_as_fraction() const;
+
 	int set_region (boost::shared_ptr<Region>);
 	void startup ();
 	void jump_start ();
diff --git a/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc b/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc
index 01de7f3eac..f27ecdb05c 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/triggerbox.cc
@@ -434,6 +434,16 @@ AudioTrigger::jump_stop ()
 	retrigger ();
 }
 
+double
+AudioTrigger::position_as_fraction () const
+{
+	if (!active()) {
+		return 0.0;
+	}
+
+	return read_index / (double) usable_length;
+}
+
 XMLNode&
 AudioTrigger::get_state (void)
 {