diff --git a/libs/ardour/session.cc b/libs/ardour/session.cc
index 45d5dcc9a9..4b1a302b70 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session.cc
@@ -1940,22 +1940,37 @@ Session::maybe_enable_record (bool rt_context)
 
 	g_atomic_int_set (&_record_status, Enabled);
 
-	/* This function is currently called from somewhere other than an RT thread.
-	 * (except maybe lua scripts, which can use rt_context = true)
-	 * This save_state() call therefore doesn't impact anything.  Doing it here
-	 * means that we save pending state of which sources the next record will use,
+	// TODO make configurable, perhaps capture-buffer-seconds dependnet?
+	bool quick_start = true;
+
+	/* Save pending state of which sources the next record will use,
 	 * which gives us some chance of recovering from a crash during the record.
 	 */
-
-	if (!rt_context) {
+	if (!rt_context && (!quick_start || _transport_speed == 0)) {
 		save_state ("", true);
 	}
 
-	if (_transport_speed) {
+	if (_transport_speed != 0) {
 		maybe_allow_only_punch ();
 		if (!config.get_punch_in()) {
 			enable_record ();
 		}
+		/* When rolling, start recording immediately.
+		 * Do not wait for .pending state save to complete
+		 * because that may take some time (up to a second
+		 * for huge sessions).
+		 *
+		 * This is potentially dangerous!! If a crash happens
+		 * while recording before the .pending save completed,
+		 * the data until then may be lost or overwritten.
+		 * (However disk-writer buffers are usually longer,
+		 *  compared to the time it takes to save a session.
+		 *  disk I/O may not be a bottleneck either. Except
+		 *  perhaps plugin-state saves taking a lock.
+		 */
+		 if (!rt_context && quick_start) {
+			 save_state ("", true);
+		 }
 	} else {
 		send_immediate_mmc (MIDI::MachineControlCommand (MIDI::MachineControl::cmdRecordPause));
 		RecordStateChanged (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */