diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
index db3fc1d533..5c0eae909c 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const ladspa_dir_name;
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const panner_dir_name;
 	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const backend_dir_name;
+	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const automation_dir_name;
+	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const analysis_dir_name;
+	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const plugins_dir_name;
+	LIBARDOUR_API extern const char* const externals_dir_name;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc b/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
index a5d7bbbe9b..d8c35c52eb 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
@@ -39,5 +39,9 @@ const char* const surfaces_dir_name = X_("surfaces");
 const char* const ladspa_dir_name = X_("ladspa");
 const char* const panner_dir_name = X_("panners");
 const char* const backend_dir_name = X_("backends");
+const char* const automation_dir_name = X_("automation");
+const char* const analysis_dir_name = X_("analysis");
+const char* const plugins_dir_name = X_("plugins");
+const char* const externals_dir_name = X_("externals");
 
 }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index 003dac8f94..7c3bd625e9 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -2339,25 +2339,25 @@ Session::get_best_session_directory_for_new_audio ()
 string
 Session::automation_dir () const
 {
-	return Glib::build_filename (_path, "automation");
+	return Glib::build_filename (_path, automation_dir_name);
 }
 
 string
 Session::analysis_dir () const
 {
-	return Glib::build_filename (_path, "analysis");
+	return Glib::build_filename (_path, analysis_dir_name);
 }
 
 string
 Session::plugins_dir () const
 {
-	return Glib::build_filename (_path, "plugins");
+	return Glib::build_filename (_path, plugins_dir_name);
 }
 
 string
 Session::externals_dir () const
 {
-	return Glib::build_filename (_path, "externals");
+	return Glib::build_filename (_path, externals_dir_name);
 }
 
 int