diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index 71768c699c..14c81c30b2 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -984,6 +984,57 @@ ARDOUR_UI::update_sample_rate (framecnt_t)
 	sample_rate_label.set_text (buf);
 }
 
+void
+ARDOUR_UI::update_format ()
+{
+	if (!_session) {
+		format_label.set_text ("");
+		return;
+	}
+
+	stringstream s;
+
+	switch (_session->config.get_native_file_header_format ()) {
+	case BWF:
+		s << "BWF";
+		break;
+	case WAVE:
+		s << "WAV";
+		break;
+	case WAVE64:
+		s << "WAV64";
+		break;
+	case CAF:
+		s << "CAF";
+		break;
+	case AIFF:
+		s << "AIFF";
+		break;
+	case iXML:
+		s << "iXML";
+		break;
+	case RF64:
+		s << "RF64";
+		break;
+	}
+
+	s << " ";
+	
+	switch (_session->config.get_native_file_data_format ()) {
+	case FormatFloat:
+		s << "32-float";
+		break;
+	case FormatInt24:
+		s << "24-int";
+		break;
+	case FormatInt16:
+		s << "16-int";
+		break;
+	}
+
+	format_label.set_text (s.str ());
+}
+
 void
 ARDOUR_UI::update_cpu_load ()
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index fb44b853dd..95eee1b9f9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -520,6 +520,10 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 	Gtk::EventBox sample_rate_box;
 	void update_sample_rate (ARDOUR::framecnt_t);
 
+	Gtk::Label    format_label;
+	Gtk::EventBox format_box;
+	void update_format ();
+	
 	gint every_second ();
 	gint every_point_one_seconds ();
 	gint every_point_zero_one_seconds ();
@@ -673,6 +677,7 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 	void toggle_use_osc ();
 
 	void parameter_changed (std::string);
+	void session_parameter_changed (std::string);
 
 	bool first_idle ();
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
index c5853c1fc3..c46f86a67a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::set_session (Session *s)
 	_session->AuditionActive.connect (_session_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, ui_bind (&ARDOUR_UI::auditioning_changed, this, _1), gui_context());
 	_session->locations()->added.connect (_session_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, ui_bind (&ARDOUR_UI::handle_locations_change, this, _1), gui_context());
 	_session->locations()->removed.connect (_session_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, ui_bind (&ARDOUR_UI::handle_locations_change, this, _1), gui_context());
+	_session->config.ParameterChanged.connect (_session_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, ui_bind (&ARDOUR_UI::session_parameter_changed, this, _1), gui_context ());
 
 #ifdef HAVE_JACK_SESSION
 	engine->JackSessionEvent.connect (*_session, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, ui_bind (&Session::jack_session_event, _session, _1), gui_context());
@@ -181,6 +182,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::set_session (Session *s)
 	second_connection = Glib::signal_timeout().connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::every_second), 1000);
 	point_one_second_connection = Glib::signal_timeout().connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::every_point_one_seconds), 100);
 	point_zero_one_second_connection = Glib::signal_timeout().connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::every_point_zero_one_seconds), 40);
+
+	update_format ();
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
index 8dfbfef750..5705bad332 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
@@ -538,6 +538,10 @@ ARDOUR_UI::build_menu_bar ()
 	sample_rate_box.set_name ("SampleRate");
 	sample_rate_label.set_name ("SampleRate");
 
+	format_box.add (format_label);
+	format_box.set_name ("Format");
+	format_label.set_name ("Format");
+
 #ifndef TOP_MENUBAR
  	menu_hbox.pack_start (*menu_bar, false, false);
 #else
@@ -555,6 +559,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::build_menu_bar ()
 	menu_hbox.pack_end (cpu_load_box, false, false, 4);
 	menu_hbox.pack_end (buffer_load_box, false, false, 4);
 	menu_hbox.pack_end (sample_rate_box, false, false, 4);
+	menu_hbox.pack_end (format_box, false, false, 4);
 
 	menu_bar_base.set_name ("MainMenuBar");
 	menu_bar_base.add (menu_hbox);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc
index bde57f4385..6bb38cd09c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_options.cc
@@ -402,6 +402,14 @@ ARDOUR_UI::parameter_changed (std::string p)
 	}
 }
 
+void
+ARDOUR_UI::session_parameter_changed (std::string p)
+{
+	if (p == "native-file-data-format" || p == "native-file-header-format") {
+		update_format ();
+	}
+}
+
 void
 ARDOUR_UI::reset_main_clocks ()
 {