diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
index 8548891485..116d954a00 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
@@ -1154,6 +1154,7 @@ public:
 	void add_controllable (boost::shared_ptr<PBD::Controllable>);
 
 	boost::shared_ptr<PBD::Controllable> solo_cut_control() const;
+	boost::shared_ptr<PBD::Controllable> recently_touched_controllable () const;
 
 	SessionConfiguration config;
 
@@ -2097,6 +2098,9 @@ private:
 
 	boost::shared_ptr<PBD::Controllable> _solo_cut_control;
 
+	void controllable_touched (boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable>);
+	boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> _recently_touched_controllable;
+
 	void reset_native_file_format();
 	bool first_file_data_format_reset;
 	bool first_file_header_format_reset;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/automation_control.cc b/libs/ardour/automation_control.cc
index 67e4bd9d6d..c4377f651e 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/automation_control.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/automation_control.cc
@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ AutomationControl::start_touch (double when)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	ControlTouched (boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<PBD::Controllable>(shared_from_this())); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
+
 	if (alist()->automation_state() & (Touch | Latch)) {
 		/* subtle. aligns the user value with the playback and
 		 * use take actual value (incl masters).
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session.cc b/libs/ardour/session.cc
index f54dc3247a..b8ae15c39b 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session.cc
@@ -462,6 +462,8 @@ Session::Session (AudioEngine &eng,
 	LatentSend::ChangedLatency.connect_same_thread (*this, boost::bind (&Session::send_latency_compensation_change, this));
 	Latent::DisableSwitchChanged.connect_same_thread (*this, boost::bind (&Session::queue_latency_recompute, this));
 
+	Controllable::ControlTouched.connect_same_thread (*this, boost::bind (&Session::controllable_touched, this, _1));
+
 	emit_thread_start ();
 	auto_connect_thread_start ();
 
@@ -6850,6 +6852,18 @@ Session::notify_presentation_info_change ()
 	reassign_track_numbers();
 }
 
+void
+Session::controllable_touched (boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> c)
+{
+	_recently_touched_controllable = c;
+}
+
+boost::shared_ptr<PBD::Controllable>
+Session::recently_touched_controllable () const
+{
+	return _recently_touched_controllable.lock ();
+}
+
 bool
 Session::operation_in_progress (GQuark op) const
 {
diff --git a/libs/pbd/controllable.cc b/libs/pbd/controllable.cc
index 5b4fae9757..e60fffe689 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/controllable.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/controllable.cc
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ using namespace std;
 PBD::Signal1<bool, boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> > Controllable::StartLearning;
 PBD::Signal1<void, boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> > Controllable::StopLearning;
 PBD::Signal1<void, boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> > Controllable::GUIFocusChanged;
+PBD::Signal1<void, boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> > Controllable::ControlTouched;
 
 Glib::Threads::RWLock Controllable::registry_lock;
 Controllable::Controllables Controllable::registry;
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/controllable.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/controllable.h
index e4fa6a9934..491760d42c 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/controllable.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/controllable.h
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ public:
 	static PBD::Signal1<void, boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> > StopLearning;
 
 	static PBD::Signal1<void, boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> > GUIFocusChanged;
+	static PBD::Signal1<void, boost::weak_ptr<PBD::Controllable> > ControlTouched;
 
 	PBD::Signal2<void,bool,PBD::Controllable::GroupControlDisposition> Changed;