diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/step_sequencer.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/step_sequencer.h
index 500cbca46b..925cab07e2 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/step_sequencer.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/step_sequencer.h
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ class Step : public PBD::Stateful {
 	Step (StepSequence&, size_t n, Temporal::Beats const & beat, int notenum);
 	~Step ();
 
+	size_t index() const { return _index; }
+
 	void set_note (double note, double velocity = 0.5, int n = 0);
 	void set_chord (size_t note_cnt, double* notes);
 	void set_parameter (int number, double value, int n = 0);
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ class Step : public PBD::Stateful {
 	friend class StepSequence; /* HACK */
 
 	StepSequence&      _sequence;
-	size_t              index;
+	size_t             _index;
 	bool               _enabled;
 	Temporal::Beats    _nominal_beat;
 	Temporal::Beats    _scheduled_beat;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/step_sequencer.cc b/libs/ardour/step_sequencer.cc
index 7cbaf6ab6e..18bd0f8ed1 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/step_sequencer.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/step_sequencer.cc
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ using namespace std;
 
 Step::Step (StepSequence &s, size_t n, Temporal::Beats const & b, int base_note)
 	: _sequence (s)
-	, index (n)
+	, _index (n)
 	, _enabled (true)
 	, _nominal_beat (b)
 	, _skipped (false)