diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
index 04331562c7..4aebcbf34c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ AutomationStreamView::AutomationStreamView (AutomationTimeAxisView& tv)
 {
 	//canvas_rect->property_fill_color_rgba() = stream_base_color;
 	canvas_rect->property_outline_color_rgba() = RGBA_BLACK;
-	canvas_rect->lower(2);
 
 	use_rec_regions = tv.editor.show_waveforms_recording ();
 }
@@ -124,7 +123,6 @@ AutomationStreamView::add_region_view_internal (boost::shared_ptr<Region> region
 		//region_view->midi_region()->midi_source(0)->load_model();
 	}
 
-	/* display events */
 	display_region(region_view);
 
 	/* catch regionview going away */
@@ -139,7 +137,6 @@ void
 AutomationStreamView::display_region(AutomationRegionView* region_view)
 {
 	region_view->line().reset();
-	region_view->raise();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
index f91afcc19e..844d90095f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_time_axis.cc
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ AutomationTimeAxisView::AutomationTimeAxisView (Session& s, boost::shared_ptr<Ro
 	_base_rect->signal_event().connect (bind (mem_fun (editor, &PublicEditor::canvas_automation_track_event),
 						 _base_rect, this));
 
+	_base_rect->lower_to_bottom();
+
 	hide_button.add (*(manage (new Gtk::Image (::get_icon("hide")))));
 
 	height_button.set_name ("TrackSizeButton");