diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_cue_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_cue_view.cc
index 51300ad131..c8f24409b5 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_cue_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_cue_view.cc
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ MidiCueView::MidiCueView (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::MidiTrack> mt,
 {
 	CANVAS_DEBUG_NAME (_note_group, X_("note group for MIDI cue"));
 
+	_needs_active_notes_for_rec_enabled_track = true;
+
 	/* Containers don't get canvas events, so we need an invisible rect
 	 * that will. It will be resized as needed sothat it always covers the
 	 * entire canvas/view.
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
index 940ceb7794..4a199f3365 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
@@ -113,13 +113,14 @@ MidiView::MidiView (std::shared_ptr<MidiTrack> mt,
                     uint32_t                   basic_color)
 	: _editing_context (ec)
 	, _midi_context (bg)
-	, _active_notes (0)
+	, _active_notes (nullptr)
 	, _note_group (new ArdourCanvas::Container (&parent))
 	, _note_diff_command (nullptr)
 	, _ghost_note(0)
 	, _step_edit_cursor (0)
 	, _step_edit_cursor_width (1, 0)
 	, _channel_selection_scoped_note (0)
+	, _needs_active_notes_for_rec_enabled_track (false)
 	, _mouse_state(None)
 	, _pressed_button(0)
 	, _optimization_iterator (_events.end())
@@ -139,19 +140,19 @@ MidiView::MidiView (std::shared_ptr<MidiTrack> mt,
 	init (mt);
 }
 
-
 MidiView::MidiView (MidiView const & other)
 	: sigc::trackable (other)
 	, _editing_context (other.editing_context())
 	, _midi_context (other.midi_context())
 	, _midi_region (other.midi_region())
-	, _active_notes(0)
+	, _active_notes (nullptr)
 	, _note_group (new ArdourCanvas::Container (other._note_group->parent()))
 	, _note_diff_command (0)
 	, _ghost_note(0)
 	, _step_edit_cursor (0)
 	, _step_edit_cursor_width (1, 0)
 	, _channel_selection_scoped_note (0)
+	, _needs_active_notes_for_rec_enabled_track (false)
 	, _mouse_state(None)
 	, _pressed_button(0)
 	, _optimization_iterator (_events.end())
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ MidiView::set_track (std::shared_ptr<MidiTrack> mt)
 	if (_midi_track) {
 		_midi_track->DropReferences.connect (track_going_away_connection, invalidator (*this), std::bind (&MidiView::track_going_away, this), gui_context());
 
-		if (_midi_track->triggerbox()->record_enabled()) {
+		if (_needs_active_notes_for_rec_enabled_track && _midi_track->triggerbox()->record_enabled()) {
 			begin_write ();
 		} else {
 			end_write ();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h
index 0e0a90fa59..4d22bdbfee 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ class MidiView : public virtual sigc::trackable, public LineMerger
 	Temporal::Beats                      _step_edit_cursor_width;
 	Temporal::Beats                      _step_edit_cursor_position;
 	NoteBase*                            _channel_selection_scoped_note;
-
+	bool                                 _needs_active_notes_for_rec_enabled_track;
 	MouseState _mouse_state;
 	int _pressed_button;