diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc
index cd2304d79f..89c1a2b58b 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.cc
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ extern VST3PluginUI* create_mac_vst3_gui (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PluginInsert
 #include "plugin_presets_ui.h"
 #include "timers.h"
 #include "new_plugin_preset_dialog.h"
+#include "ui_config.h"
 
 #include "pbd/i18n.h"
 
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@ using namespace PBD;
 using namespace Gtkmm2ext;
 using namespace Gtk;
 
+PluginUIWindow* PluginUIWindow::the_plugin_window = 0;
 
 PluginUIWindow::PluginUIWindow (
 	boost::shared_ptr<PluginInsert> insert,
@@ -198,11 +200,22 @@ PluginUIWindow::~PluginUIWindow ()
 	cerr << "PluginWindow deleted for " << this << endl;
 #endif
 	delete _pluginui;
+
+	if (the_plugin_window == this) {
+		the_plugin_window = 0;
+	}
 }
 
 void
 PluginUIWindow::on_show ()
 {
+	if (UIConfiguration::instance().get_one_plugin_window_only()) {
+		if (the_plugin_window) {
+			the_plugin_window->hide ();
+		}
+		the_plugin_window = this;
+	}
+
 	set_role("plugin_ui");
 
 	if (_pluginui) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h
index dbec804adb..2b3424aa85 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/plugin_ui.h
@@ -383,6 +383,8 @@ private:
 	bool create_audiounit_editor (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PluginInsert>);
 	bool create_lv2_editor (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PluginInsert>);
 	bool create_vst3_editor (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::PluginInsert>);
+
+	static PluginUIWindow* the_plugin_window;
 };
 
 #ifdef MACVST_SUPPORT
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
index 4d14d040ab..1569890e2f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
@@ -3803,6 +3803,16 @@ These settings will only take effect after %1 is restarted.\n\
 	Gtkmm2ext::UI::instance()->set_tip (bo->tip_widget(),
 					    _("<b>When enabled</b> plugins will be activated when they are added to tracks/busses. When disabled plugins will be left inactive when they are added to tracks/busses"));
 
+	bo = new BoolOption (
+		"one-plugin-window-only",
+		_("Show only one plugin window at a time"),
+		sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::get_one_plugin_window_only),
+		sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::set_one_plugin_window_only)
+		);
+	add_option (_("Plugins"), bo);
+	Gtkmm2ext::UI::instance()->set_tip (bo->tip_widget(),
+					    _("<b>When enabled</b> at most one plugin GUI window be on-screen at a time. When disabled, the number of visible plugin GUI windows is unlimited"));
+
 #if (defined WINDOWS_VST_SUPPORT || defined MACVST_SUPPORT || defined LXVST_SUPPORT || defined VST3_SUPPORT)
 	add_option (_("Plugins/VST"), new OptionEditorHeading (_("VST")));
 #if 0
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h
index e45739dfc2..3aacc76dc3 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h
@@ -133,3 +133,4 @@ UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, grid_follows_internal, "grid-follows-internal", false)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, show_region_name, "show-region-name", true)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (int, time_axis_name_ellipsize_mode, "time-axis-name-ellipsize-mode", 0)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, show_triggers_inline, "show-triggers-inline", false)
+UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, one_plugin_window_only, "one-plugin-window-only", false)