diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc
index 914e8fa275..ed3f1790a8 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ EditorRoutes::sync_order_keys (string const & src)
 	TreeModel::Children rows = _model->children();
 	TreeModel::Children::iterator ri;
 
-	if (src == N_ ("editor") || !_session || (_session->state_of_the_state() & Session::Loading) || rows.empty()) {
+	if (src == N_ ("editor") || !_session || (_session->state_of_the_state() & (Session::Loading|Session::Deletion)) || rows.empty()) {
 		return;
 	}