diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc b/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc
index fe82ea8024..b0ed45df85 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.cc
@@ -844,6 +844,12 @@ GainMeterBase::gain_automation_state_changed ()
 	}
 }
 
+const ChanCount
+GainMeterBase::meter_channels() const
+{
+		if (_meter) { return _meter->input_streams(); }
+		else { return ChanCount(); }
+}
 void
 GainMeterBase::update_meters()
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.h b/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.h
index 57215b48b5..a12779a19d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/gain_meter.h
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ class GainMeterBase : virtual public sigc::trackable, ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 	void update_gain_sensitive ();
 	void update_meters ();
 
+	const ARDOUR::ChanCount meter_channels () const;
+
 	void effective_gain_display ();
 	void set_width (Width, int len=0);
 	void set_meter_strip_name (const char * name);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc b/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc
index b2ff7ecf1b..3b62d61e26 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc
@@ -782,7 +782,9 @@ bool
 MeterStrip::level_meter_button_release (GdkEventButton* ev)
 {
 	if (ev->button == 3) {
-		popup_level_meter_menu (ev);
+		if (_route && _route->shared_peak_meter()->input_streams ().n_audio() > 0) {
+			popup_level_meter_menu (ev);
+		}
 		return true;
 	}
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc
index ceb6e08dd2..177caa0056 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc
@@ -2190,6 +2190,12 @@ MixerStrip::popup_level_meter_menu (GdkEventButton* ev)
 	add_level_meter_item_point (items, group, _("Output"), MeterOutput);
 	add_level_meter_item_point (items, group, _("Custom"), MeterCustom);
 
+	if (gpm.meter_channels().n_audio() == 0) {
+		m->popup (ev->button, ev->time);
+		_suspend_menu_callbacks = false;
+		return;
+	}
+
 	RadioMenuItem::Group tgroup;
 	items.push_back (SeparatorElem());