diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index 770da5425b..9110b80532 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -1992,55 +1992,70 @@ ARDOUR_UI::transport_rec_count_in ()
 }
 
 void
-ARDOUR_UI::transport_ffwd_rewind (int option, int dir)
+ARDOUR_UI::transport_ffwd_rewind (bool fwd)
 {
 	if (!_session) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	/* engine speed is always positive, so multiply by transport
-	 * (-1, 0, 1) to get directional value
-	 */
+	// incrementally increase speed by semitones
+	// (keypress auto-repeat is 100ms)
+	const float maxspeed = Config->get_shuttle_max_speed();
+	float semitone_ratio = exp2f (1.0f/12.0f);
+	float transport_speed = _session->actual_speed ();
 
-	const float current_transport_speed = _session->engine_speed () * _session->transport_speed ();
-	float target_speed = current_transport_speed;
+	if (transport_speed == 0.0 || fabs (transport_speed) <= 1.0/semitone_ratio) {
 
-	switch (option) {
-	case 0:
-		target_speed = dir * 1.0f;
-		break;
-	case 1:
-		target_speed = dir * 4.0f;
-		break;
-	case -1:
-		target_speed = dir * 0.5f;
-		break;
+		/* close to zero, maybe flip direction */
+
+		if (fwd) {
+			if (transport_speed <= 0) {
+				_session->request_transport_speed (1.0, false);
+				_session->request_roll (TRS_UI);
+			}
+		} else {
+			if (transport_speed >= 0) {
+				_session->request_transport_speed (-1.0, false);
+				_session->request_roll (TRS_UI);
+			}
+		}
+
+		/* either we've just started, or we're moving as slowly as we
+		 * ever should
+		 */
+
+		return;
 	}
 
-	/* if wanting to move forward/backward and current speed is at or above current
-	   speed (i.e. same direction, and moving), then speed up.
-	*/
-
-	const bool speed_up = (dir > 0 && current_transport_speed >= target_speed) || (dir < 0 && current_transport_speed <= target_speed);
-
-	if (speed_up) {
-		target_speed = current_transport_speed * 1.5f;
+	if (fwd) {
+		if (transport_speed < 0.f) {
+			/* we need to move the speed back towards zero */
+			semitone_ratio = 1.0/semitone_ratio;
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (transport_speed > 0.f) {
+			/* we need to move the speed back towards zero */
+			semitone_ratio = 1.0/semitone_ratio;
+		}
 	}
 
-	_session->request_transport_speed (target_speed, false);
-	_session->request_roll ();
+	float speed = semitone_ratio * transport_speed;
+
+	speed = std::max (-maxspeed, std::min (maxspeed, speed));
+	_session->request_transport_speed (speed, false);
+	_session->request_roll (TRS_UI);
 }
 
 void
-ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind (int option)
+ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind ()
 {
-	transport_ffwd_rewind (option, -1);
+	transport_ffwd_rewind (false);
 }
 
 void
-ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward (int option)
+ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward ()
 {
-	transport_ffwd_rewind (option, 1);
+	transport_ffwd_rewind (true);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index 01f9369109..a9e24b4b08 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -670,9 +670,9 @@ private:
 	void transport_play_preroll();
 	void transport_rec_preroll();
 	void transport_rec_count_in();
-	void transport_forward (int option);
-	void transport_rewind (int option);
-	void transport_ffwd_rewind (int option, int dir);
+	void transport_forward ();
+	void transport_rewind ();
+	void transport_ffwd_rewind (bool fwd);
 	void transport_loop ();
 	void toggle_roll (bool with_abort, bool roll_out_of_bounded_mode);
 	bool trx_record_enable_all_tracks ();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
index 38de8e7e55..fbbcfe0600 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_ed.cc
@@ -365,22 +365,22 @@ ARDOUR_UI::install_actions ()
 	ActionManager::session_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::write_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::transport_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
-	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("Rewind"), _("Rewind"), sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind), 0));
+	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("Rewind"), _("Rewind"), sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind));
 	ActionManager::session_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::transport_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
-	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("RewindSlow"), _("Rewind (Slow)"), sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind), -1));
+	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("RewindSlow"), _("Rewind (Slow)"), sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind));
 	ActionManager::session_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::transport_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
-	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("RewindFast"), _("Rewind (Fast)"), sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind), 1));
+	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("RewindFast"), _("Rewind (Fast)"), sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_rewind));
 	ActionManager::session_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::transport_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
-	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("Forward"), _("Forward"), sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward), 0));
+	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("Forward"), _("Forward"), sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward));
 	ActionManager::session_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::transport_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
-	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("ForwardSlow"), _("Forward (Slow)"), sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward), -1));
+	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("ForwardSlow"), _("Forward (Slow)"), sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward));
 	ActionManager::session_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::transport_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
-	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("ForwardFast"), _("Forward (Fast)"), sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward), 1));
+	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("ForwardFast"), _("Forward (Fast)"), sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_forward));
 	ActionManager::session_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	ActionManager::transport_sensitive_actions.push_back (act);
 	act = ActionManager::register_action (transport_actions, X_("GotoZero"), _("Go to Zero"), sigc::mem_fun(*this, &ARDOUR_UI::transport_goto_zero));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_keys.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_keys.cc
index 9b360a932b..81c46a6767 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_keys.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_keys.cc
@@ -327,8 +327,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::transport_numpad_event (int num)
 	} else {
 		switch (num) {
 			case 0: toggle_roll(false, false);                           break;
-			case 1: transport_rewind(1);                                 break;
-			case 2: transport_forward(1);                                break;
+			case 1: transport_rewind();                                  break;
+			case 2: transport_forward();                                 break;
 			case 3: transport_record(true);                              break;
 			case 4: toggle_session_auto_loop();                          break;
 			case 5: transport_record(false); toggle_session_auto_loop(); break;