diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
index 237d7708e9..13b1308641 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
@@ -951,7 +951,7 @@ class Session : public PBD::StatefulDestructible
 	void update_latency_compensation (bool, bool);
 	
   private:
-	int  create (bool& new_session, string* mix_template, nframes_t initial_length);
+	int  create ();
 	void destroy ();
 
 	void initialize_start_and_end_locations(nframes_t start, nframes_t end);
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session.cc b/libs/ardour/session.cc
index 59c326264f..bf777a73d9 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session.cc
@@ -126,8 +126,6 @@ Session::Session (AudioEngine &eng,
 	  _click_io ((IO*) 0),
 	  main_outs (0)
 {
-	bool new_session;
-
 	if (!eng.connected()) {
 		throw failed_constructor();
 	}
@@ -138,16 +136,25 @@ Session::Session (AudioEngine &eng,
 	n_physical_inputs =  _engine.n_physical_inputs();
 
 	first_stage_init (fullpath, snapshot_name);
+
+	initialize_start_and_end_locations(0, compute_initial_length ());
 	
-	new_session = !g_file_test (_path.c_str(), GFileTest (G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS | G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR));
+	bool new_session = !g_file_test (_path.c_str(), GFileTest (G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS | G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR));
+
 	if (new_session) {
-		if (create (new_session, mix_template, compute_initial_length())) {
-			cerr << "create failed\n";
+		// A mix_template must be specified if using this constructor
+		// to create a new session.
+		assert(mix_template);
+
+		if (create () ||
+				!create_session_file_from_template (*mix_template)) {
 			destroy ();
 			throw failed_constructor ();
 		}
+		// Continue construction like a normal saved session from now on.
+		new_session = false;
 	}
-	
+
 	if (second_stage_init (new_session)) {
 		destroy ();
 		throw failed_constructor ();
@@ -192,8 +199,6 @@ Session::Session (AudioEngine &eng,
 	  main_outs (0)
 
 {
-	bool new_session;
-
 	if (!eng.connected()) {
 		throw failed_constructor();
 	}
@@ -213,13 +218,13 @@ Session::Session (AudioEngine &eng,
 
 	first_stage_init (fullpath, snapshot_name);
 
-	new_session = !g_file_test (_path.c_str(), GFileTest (G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS | G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR));
+	initialize_start_and_end_locations(0, initial_length);
 
-	if (new_session) {
-		if (create (new_session, 0, initial_length)) {
+	if (g_file_test (_path.c_str(), GFileTest (G_FILE_TEST_EXISTS | G_FILE_TEST_IS_DIR)) ||
+			create () ||
+			!create_session_file ()) {
 			destroy ();
 			throw failed_constructor ();
-		}
 	}
 
 	{
@@ -254,7 +259,7 @@ Session::Session (AudioEngine &eng,
 	Config->set_input_auto_connect (input_ac);
 	Config->set_output_auto_connect (output_ac);
 
-	if (second_stage_init (new_session)) {
+	if (second_stage_init (true)) {
 		destroy ();
 		throw failed_constructor ();
 	}
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index 4c3e4d2dc0..c41d7d742c 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ Session::create_session_file_from_template (const string& template_path)
 }
 
 int
-Session::create (bool& new_session, string* mix_template, nframes_t initial_length)
+Session::create ()
 {
 	string dir;
 
@@ -541,19 +541,6 @@ Session::create (bool& new_session, string* mix_template, nframes_t initial_leng
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-
-	/* check new_session so we don't overwrite an existing one */
-
-	if (mix_template) {
-		if(!create_session_file_from_template(*mix_template)) return -1;
-		new_session = false;
-		return 0;
-	}
-
-	initialize_start_and_end_locations(0, initial_length);
-
-	if (!create_session_file()) return -1;
-
 	return 0;
 }