diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index fcb6d92f15..defaedaa1a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -523,8 +523,7 @@ private:
 
 	/* Transport Control */
 
-	Gtk::Table               transport_table;
-	Gtk::Frame               transport_frame;
+	Gtk::Table               tabbables_table;
 
 	void toggle_follow_edits ();
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc
index f55add0ba4..030e67c562 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui2.cc
@@ -231,28 +231,6 @@ ARDOUR_UI::setup_transport ()
 
 	/* transport control size-group */
 
-	/* and now the layout... */
-
-	/* top level packing */
-	transport_table.set_spacings (0);
-	transport_table.set_row_spacings (4);
-	transport_table.set_border_width (1);
-
-	transport_frame.set_name ("TransportFrame");
-	transport_frame.set_shadow_type (Gtk::SHADOW_NONE);
-
-	/* An event box to hold the table. We use this because we want specific
-	   control over the background color, and without this event box,
-	   nothing inside the transport_frame actually draws a background. We
-	   would therefore end up seeing the background of the parent widget,
-	   which is probably some default color. Adding the EventBox adds a
-	   widget that will draw the background, using a style based on
-	   the parent, "TransportFrame".
-	*/
-	Gtk::EventBox* ebox = manage (new Gtk::EventBox);
-	transport_frame.add (*ebox);
-	ebox->add (transport_table);
-
 	//tab selections
 	button_height_size_group->add_widget (trigger_page_visibility_button);
 	button_height_size_group->add_widget (recorder_visibility_button);
@@ -261,18 +239,19 @@ ARDOUR_UI::setup_transport ()
 	button_height_size_group->add_widget (prefs_visibility_button);
 
 	/* and the main table layout */
-	int vpadding = 1;
-	int hpadding = 2;
+	int vpadding = 3;
+	int hpadding = 3;
 	int col = 0;
 #define TCOL col, col + 1
 
-	transport_table.attach (recorder_visibility_button,     TCOL, 0, 1 , FILL, SHRINK, hpadding, vpadding);
-	transport_table.attach (trigger_page_visibility_button, TCOL, 1, 2 , FILL, SHRINK, hpadding, vpadding);
+	tabbables_table.attach (recorder_visibility_button,     TCOL, 0, 1 , FILL, FILL, hpadding, vpadding);
+	tabbables_table.attach (trigger_page_visibility_button, TCOL, 1, 2 , FILL, FILL, hpadding, vpadding);
 	++col;
-	transport_table.attach (editor_visibility_button,       TCOL, 0, 1 , FILL, SHRINK, hpadding, vpadding);
-	transport_table.attach (mixer_visibility_button,        TCOL, 1, 2 , FILL, SHRINK, hpadding, vpadding);
+	tabbables_table.attach (editor_visibility_button,       TCOL, 0, 1 , FILL, FILL, hpadding, vpadding);
+	tabbables_table.attach (mixer_visibility_button,        TCOL, 1, 2 , FILL, FILL, hpadding, vpadding);
 	++col;
 
+	tabbables_table.show_all ();
 }
 #undef PX_SCALE
 #undef TCOL
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc
index 1757fa610a..e1bb46643b 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dependents.cc
@@ -302,7 +302,6 @@ ARDOUR_UI::setup_windows ()
 	/* now add the transport sample to the top of main window */
 
 	main_vpacker.pack_start ( *spacer, false, false);
-	main_vpacker.pack_start (transport_frame, false, false);
 	main_vpacker.pack_start (_tabs, true, true);
 
 	setup_transport();
@@ -320,7 +319,6 @@ ARDOUR_UI::setup_windows ()
 	 */
 
 	_main_window.add (main_vpacker);
-	transport_frame.show_all ();
 
 	apply_window_settings (true);
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
index 97e9196b0c..eeaef4d866 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui_dialogs.cc
@@ -625,8 +625,18 @@ ARDOUR_UI::tabs_page_removed (Widget*, guint)
 void
 ARDOUR_UI::tabs_switch (GtkNotebookPage*, guint page)
 {
+	if (tabbables_table.get_parent ()) {
+		editor->tab_btn_box ().remove ();
+		mixer->tab_btn_box ().remove ();
+		recorder->tab_btn_box ().remove ();
+		trigger_page->tab_btn_box ().remove ();
+	}
+
+	//pack the tabbables selector in this tab, and set button sensitivity appropriately
 	if (editor && (page == (guint) _tabs.page_num (editor->contents()))) {
 
+		editor->tab_btn_box ().add (tabbables_table);
+
 		editor_visibility_button.set_active_state (Gtkmm2ext::ImplicitActive);
 
 		if (mixer && (mixer->tabbed() || mixer->tabbed_by_default())) {
@@ -649,6 +659,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::tabs_switch (GtkNotebookPage*, guint page)
 
 	} else if (mixer && (page == (guint) _tabs.page_num (mixer->contents()))) {
 
+		mixer->tab_btn_box ().add (tabbables_table);
+
 		if (editor && (editor->tabbed() || editor->tabbed_by_default())) {
 			editor_visibility_button.set_active_state (Gtkmm2ext::Off);
 		}
@@ -689,6 +701,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::tabs_switch (GtkNotebookPage*, guint page)
 
 	} else if (page == (guint) _tabs.page_num (recorder->contents())) {
 
+		recorder->tab_btn_box ().add (tabbables_table);
+
 		if (editor && (editor->tabbed() || editor->tabbed_by_default())) {
 			editor_visibility_button.set_active_state (Gtkmm2ext::Off);
 		}
@@ -709,6 +723,8 @@ ARDOUR_UI::tabs_switch (GtkNotebookPage*, guint page)
 
 	} else if (page == (guint) _tabs.page_num (trigger_page->contents())) {
 
+		trigger_page->tab_btn_box ().add (tabbables_table);
+
 		if (editor && (editor->tabbed() || editor->tabbed_by_default())) {
 			editor_visibility_button.set_active_state (Gtkmm2ext::Off);
 		}