diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index ee7d40ffab..6c349260f7 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "pbd/compose.h"
 #include "pbd/convert.h"
 #include "pbd/failed_constructor.h"
+#include "pbd/file_archive.h"
 #include "pbd/enumwriter.h"
 #include "pbd/memento_command.h"
 #include "pbd/openuri.h"
@@ -1069,6 +1070,45 @@ ARDOUR_UI::starting ()
 			}
 		}
 
+		// TODO: maybe IFF brand_new_user
+		if (ARDOUR::Profile->get_mixbus () && Config->get_copy_demo_sessions ()) {
+			std::string dspd (Config->get_default_session_parent_dir());
+			Searchpath ds (ARDOUR::ardour_data_search_path());
+			ds.add_subdirectory_to_paths ("sessions");
+			vector<string> demos;
+			find_files_matching_pattern (demos, ds, "*.tar.xz");
+
+			ARDOUR::RecentSessions rs;
+			ARDOUR::read_recent_sessions (rs);
+
+			for (vector<string>::iterator i = demos.begin(); i != demos.end (); ++i) {
+				/* "demo-session" must be inside "demo-session.tar.xz"
+				 * strip ".tar.xz"
+				 */
+				std::string name = basename_nosuffix (basename_nosuffix (*i));
+				std::string path = Glib::build_filename (dspd, name);
+				/* skip if session-dir already exists */
+				if (Glib::file_test(path.c_str(), Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_DIR)) {
+					continue;
+				}
+				/* skip sessions that are already in 'recent'.
+				 * eg. a new user changed <session-default-dir> shorly after installation
+				 */
+				for (ARDOUR::RecentSessions::iterator r = rs.begin(); r != rs.end(); ++r) {
+					if ((*r).first == name) {
+						continue;
+					}
+				}
+				try {
+					PBD::FileArchive ar (*i);
+					if (0 == ar.inflate (dspd)) {
+						store_recent_sessions (name, path);
+						info << string_compose (_("Copied Demo Session %1."), name) << endmsg;
+					}
+				} catch (...) {}
+			}
+		}
+
 #ifdef NO_PLUGIN_STATE
 
 		ARDOUR::RecentSessions rs;