diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index 60a93a63d6..c53a762df9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ Editor::Editor ()
 	
 	controls_layout.add_events (Gdk::BUTTON_PRESS_MASK|Gdk::BUTTON_RELEASE_MASK|Gdk::ENTER_NOTIFY_MASK|Gdk::LEAVE_NOTIFY_MASK);
 	controls_layout.signal_button_release_event().connect (mem_fun(*this, &Editor::edit_controls_button_release));
-	controls_layout.signal_size_request().connect (mem_fun (*this, &Editor::controls_layout_size_request));
+	controls_layout_size_request_connection = controls_layout.signal_size_request().connect (mem_fun (*this, &Editor::controls_layout_size_request));
 
 	edit_vscrollbar.set_adjustment (vertical_adjustment);
 	edit_hscrollbar.set_adjustment (horizontal_adjustment);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
index 5d0290c378..a0918241bd 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
@@ -858,6 +858,7 @@ class Editor : public PublicEditor
 	Gtk::Layout         controls_layout;
 	bool control_layout_scroll (GdkEventScroll* ev);
 	void controls_layout_size_request (Gtk::Requisition*);
+	sigc::connection controls_layout_size_request_connection;
 
 	Gtk::HScrollbar     edit_hscrollbar;
 	bool                _dragging_hscrollbar;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
index 2c728a4658..ec1315d40a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_canvas.cc
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ Editor::controls_layout_size_request (Requisition* req)
 	TreeModel::Children rows = route_display_model->children();
 	TreeModel::Children::iterator i;
 	double pos;
+	bool changed = false;
 
 	for (pos = 0, i = rows.begin(); i != rows.end(); ++i) {
 		TimeAxisView *tv = (*i)[route_display_columns.tv];
@@ -377,31 +378,39 @@ Editor::controls_layout_size_request (Requisition* req)
 	if (!screen) {
 		screen = Gdk::Screen::get_default();
 	}
-
+	gint height = min ( (gint) pos, (screen->get_height() - 400));
 	gint width = max (edit_controls_vbox.get_width(),  controls_layout.get_width());
 
 	/* don't get too big. the fudge factors here are just guesses */
 
 	width =  min (width, screen->get_width() - 300);
 
+	if ((req->width != width) || (req->height != height)) {
+		changed = true;
+		controls_layout_size_request_connection.disconnect ();
+	}
+
 	if (req->width != width) {
+		gint vbox_width = edit_controls_vbox.get_width();
 		req->width = width;
-		time_button_event_box.set_size_request(edit_controls_vbox.get_width(), -1);
-		zoom_box.set_size_request(edit_controls_vbox.get_width(), -1);
-	}
-
-	gint height = min ( (gint) pos, (screen->get_height() - 400));
-	if (req->height != height) {
-		req->height = height;
-	}
-
-	if (width != edit_controls_vbox.get_width()) {
 
 		/* this one is important: it determines how big the layout thinks it really is, as 
 		   opposed to what it displays on the screen
 		*/
-		controls_layout.set_size (edit_controls_vbox.get_width(), pos );
-		controls_layout.set_size_request(edit_controls_vbox.get_width(), -1);
+		controls_layout.property_width () = vbox_width;
+		controls_layout.property_width_request () = vbox_width;
+
+		time_button_event_box.property_width_request () = vbox_width;
+		zoom_box.property_width_request () = vbox_width;
+	}
+
+	if (req->height != height) {
+		req->height = height;
+		controls_layout.property_height () = (guint) floor (pos);
+	}
+
+	if (changed) {
+		controls_layout_size_request_connection = controls_layout.signal_size_request().connect (mem_fun (*this, &Editor::controls_layout_size_request));
 	}
 }