diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/async_midi_port.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/async_midi_port.h
index 26946e3016..373d6b7668 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/async_midi_port.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/async_midi_port.h
@@ -57,15 +57,19 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API AsyncMIDIPort : public ARDOUR::MidiPort, public MIDI::Port {
 	void parse (framecnt_t timestamp);
 	int write (const MIDI::byte *msg, size_t msglen, MIDI::timestamp_t timestamp);
         int read (MIDI::byte *buf, size_t bufsize);
+	/* waits for output to be cleared */
 	void drain (int check_interval_usecs);
-	int selectable () const {
-#ifdef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
-		return false;
-#else
-		return xthread.selectable();
-#endif
-	}
 
+	/* clears async request communication channel */
+	void clear () {
+		return xthread.drain ();
+	}
+	/* Not selectable; use ios() */
+	int selectable() const { return -1; }
+
+	Glib::RefPtr<Glib::IOSource> ios() {
+		return xthread.ios();
+	}
 	void set_timer (boost::function<framecnt_t (void)>&);
 
 	static void set_process_thread (pthread_t);
@@ -80,9 +84,7 @@ class LIBARDOUR_API AsyncMIDIPort : public ARDOUR::MidiPort, public MIDI::Port {
 	RingBuffer< Evoral::Event<double> > output_fifo;
         Evoral::EventRingBuffer<MIDI::timestamp_t> input_fifo;
         Glib::Threads::Mutex output_fifo_lock;
-#ifndef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
 	CrossThreadChannel xthread;
-#endif
 
 	int create_port ();
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/midi_ui.cc b/libs/ardour/midi_ui.cc
index e00ec587ec..d5a0b2b444 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/midi_ui.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/midi_ui.cc
@@ -81,9 +81,10 @@ MidiControlUI::midi_input_handler (IOCondition ioc, AsyncMIDIPort* port)
 
 	if (ioc & IO_IN) {
 
-#ifndef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
-		CrossThreadChannel::drain (port->selectable());
-#endif
+		AsyncMIDIPort* asp = dynamic_cast<AsyncMIDIPort*> (port);
+		if (asp) {
+			asp->clear ();
+		}
 
 		DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::MidiIO, string_compose ("data available on %1\n", ((ARDOUR::Port*)port)->name()));
 		framepos_t now = _session.engine().sample_time();
@@ -131,12 +132,11 @@ MidiControlUI::reset_ports ()
 		return;
 	}
 	
-	int fd;
 	for (vector<AsyncMIDIPort*>::const_iterator pi = ports.begin(); pi != ports.end(); ++pi) {
 
-		if ((fd = (*pi)->selectable ()) >= 0) {
-			Glib::RefPtr<IOSource> psrc = IOSource::create (fd, IO_IN|IO_HUP|IO_ERR);
-			
+		Glib::RefPtr<IOSource> psrc = (*pi)->ios();
+
+		if (psrc) {
 			psrc->connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (this, &MidiControlUI::midi_input_handler), *pi));
 			psrc->attach (_main_loop->get_context());
 			
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc b/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc
index a2667b8a7d..563ca14d7d 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/mackie/mackie_control_protocol.cc
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 #include "pbd/convert.h"
 
 #include "ardour/automation_control.h"
+#include "ardour/async_midi_port.h"
 #include "ardour/dB.h"
 #include "ardour/debug.h"
 #include "ardour/location.h"
@@ -727,11 +728,28 @@ MackieControlProtocol::create_surfaces ()
 			session->BundleRemoved (_output_bundle);
 		}
 
-		int fd;
 		MIDI::Port& input_port (surface->port().input_port());
+		AsyncMIDIPort* asp = dynamic_cast<AsyncMIDIPort*> (&input_port);
+		Glib::RefPtr<IOSource> psrc;
+		
+		if (asp) {
 
-		if ((fd = input_port.selectable ()) >= 0) {
-			Glib::RefPtr<IOSource> psrc = IOSource::create (fd, IO_IN|IO_HUP|IO_ERR);
+			/* async MIDI port */
+
+			psrc = asp->ios();
+
+		} else {
+
+			/* ipMIDI port, no IOSource method at this time */
+
+			int fd;
+
+			if ((fd = input_port.selectable ()) >= 0) {
+				psrc = IOSource::create (fd, IO_IN|IO_HUP|IO_ERR);
+			}
+		}
+		
+		if (psrc) {
 
 			psrc->connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (this, &MackieControlProtocol::midi_input_handler), &input_port));
 			psrc->attach (main_loop()->get_context());
@@ -740,6 +758,16 @@ MackieControlProtocol::create_surfaces ()
 
 			port_sources.push_back (psrc->gobj());
 			g_source_ref (psrc->gobj());
+
+		} else {
+
+			if (n == 0) {
+				error << string_compose (_("Could not create IOSource for Mackie Control surface, MIDI port was called %1"),
+							 input_port.name());
+			} else {
+				error << string_compose (_("Could not create IOSource for Mackie Control extender #%1, MIDI port was called %2"),
+							 n+1, input_port.name());
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1285,9 +1313,10 @@ MackieControlProtocol::midi_input_handler (IOCondition ioc, MIDI::Port* port)
 		*/
 
 		if (!_device_info.uses_ipmidi()) {
-#ifndef PLATFORM_WINDOWS
-			CrossThreadChannel::drain (port->selectable());
-#endif
+			AsyncMIDIPort* asp = dynamic_cast<AsyncMIDIPort*>(port);
+			if (asp) {
+				asp->clear ();
+			}
 		}
 
 		DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::MackieControl, string_compose ("data available on %1\n", port->name()));