diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc
index 19aec404c4..47bbca4ccc 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.cc
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ static std::string longest_quantize;
 static std::vector<std::string> launch_strings;
 static std::string longest_launch;
 
-TriggerUI::TriggerUI (Item* parent, Trigger& t)
+TriggerUI::TriggerUI (Item* parent)
 	: Table (parent)
-	, trigger (t)
+	, trigger(NULL)
 {
 	using namespace Gtk::Menu_Helpers;
 
@@ -228,6 +228,16 @@ TriggerUI::TriggerUI (Item* parent, Trigger& t)
 
 	attach (quantize_button, 0, 5, PackExpand, PackExpand);
 	attach (velocity, 1, 5, PackExpand, PackExpand);
+}
+
+TriggerUI::~TriggerUI ()
+{
+}
+
+void
+TriggerUI::set_trigger (ARDOUR::Trigger* t)
+{
+	trigger = t;
 
 	PropertyChange pc;
 
@@ -240,12 +250,9 @@ TriggerUI::TriggerUI (Item* parent, Trigger& t)
 
 	trigger_changed (pc);
 
-	trigger.PropertyChanged.connect (trigger_connections, invalidator (*this), boost::bind (&TriggerUI::trigger_changed, this, _1), gui_context());
+	trigger->PropertyChanged.connect (trigger_connections, invalidator (*this), boost::bind (&TriggerUI::trigger_changed, this, _1), gui_context());
 }
 
-TriggerUI::~TriggerUI ()
-{
-}
 
 void
 TriggerUI::set_quantize (BBT_Offset bbo)
@@ -255,7 +262,7 @@ TriggerUI::set_quantize (BBT_Offset bbo)
 		bbo = BBT_Offset (1, 2, 3); /* XXX get grid from editor */
 	}
 
-	trigger.set_quantization (bbo);
+	trigger->set_quantization (bbo);
 }
 
 bool
@@ -263,7 +270,7 @@ TriggerUI::follow_action_button_event (GdkEvent* ev)
 {
 	switch (ev->type) {
 	case GDK_BUTTON_PRESS:
-		trigger.set_use_follow (!trigger.use_follow());
+		trigger->set_use_follow (!trigger->use_follow());
 		return true;
 
 	default:
@@ -278,7 +285,7 @@ TriggerUI::legato_button_event (GdkEvent* ev)
 {
 	switch (ev->type) {
 	case GDK_BUTTON_PRESS:
-		trigger.set_legato (!trigger.legato());
+		trigger->set_legato (!trigger->legato());
 		return true;
 
 	default:
@@ -291,7 +298,7 @@ TriggerUI::legato_button_event (GdkEvent* ev)
 void
 TriggerUI::set_launch_style (Trigger::LaunchStyle ls)
 {
-	trigger.set_launch_style (ls);
+	trigger->set_launch_style (ls);
 }
 
 std::string
@@ -366,37 +373,37 @@ void
 TriggerUI::trigger_changed (PropertyChange pc)
 {
 	if (pc.contains (Properties::quantization)) {
-		BBT_Offset bbo (trigger.quantization());
+		BBT_Offset bbo (trigger->quantization());
 		_quantize_button->set_active (quantize_length_to_string (bbo));
 		std::cerr << "\n\n !!! quantize is " << quantize_length_to_string (bbo) << std::endl << std::endl;
 	}
 
 	if (pc.contains (Properties::use_follow)) {
-		_follow_action_button->set_active_state (trigger.use_follow() ? Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive : Gtkmm2ext::Off);
+		_follow_action_button->set_active_state (trigger->use_follow() ? Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive : Gtkmm2ext::Off);
 	}
 
 	if (pc.contains (Properties::legato)) {
-		_legato_button->set_active_state (trigger.legato() ? Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive : Gtkmm2ext::Off);
+		_legato_button->set_active_state (trigger->legato() ? Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive : Gtkmm2ext::Off);
 	}
 
 	if (pc.contains (Properties::launch_style)) {
-		_launch_style_button->set_active (launch_style_to_string (trigger.launch_style()));
+		_launch_style_button->set_active (launch_style_to_string (trigger->launch_style()));
 	}
 
 	if (pc.contains (Properties::follow_action0)) {
-		_follow_right->set_text (follow_action_to_string (trigger.follow_action (0)));
+		_follow_right->set_text (follow_action_to_string (trigger->follow_action (0)));
 	}
 
 	if (pc.contains (Properties::follow_action1)) {
-		_follow_left->set_text (follow_action_to_string (trigger.follow_action (1)));
+		_follow_left->set_text (follow_action_to_string (trigger->follow_action (1)));
 	}
 }
 
 /* ------------ */
 
-TriggerWidget::TriggerWidget (Trigger& t)
+TriggerWidget::TriggerWidget ()
 {
-	ui = new TriggerUI (root(), t);
+	ui = new TriggerUI (root());
 	set_background_color (UIConfiguration::instance().color (X_("theme:bg")));
 }
 
@@ -408,10 +415,11 @@ TriggerWidget::size_request (double& w, double& h) const
 
 /* ------------ */
 
-TriggerWindow::TriggerWindow (Trigger& t)
+TriggerWindow::TriggerWindow (Trigger* t)
 {
-	TriggerWidget* tw = manage (new TriggerWidget (t));
-	set_title (string_compose (_("Trigger: %1"), t.name()));
+	TriggerWidget* tw = manage (new TriggerWidget ());
+	tw->set_trigger(t);
+	set_title (string_compose (_("Trigger: %1"), t->name()));
 
 	double w;
 	double h;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h
index 9e8a27b28e..9c0e520983 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/trigger_ui.h
@@ -39,11 +39,13 @@ namespace ArdourCanvas {
 class TriggerUI : public ArdourCanvas::Table, public sigc::trackable
 {
   public:
-	TriggerUI (ArdourCanvas::Item* parent, ARDOUR::Trigger&);
+	TriggerUI (ArdourCanvas::Item* parent);
 	~TriggerUI ();
 
+	void set_trigger (ARDOUR::Trigger*);
+
   private:
-	ARDOUR::Trigger& trigger;
+	ARDOUR::Trigger* trigger;
 
 	ArdourWidgets::ArdourButton* _follow_action_button;
 	ArdourCanvas::Widget* follow_action_button;
@@ -98,8 +100,9 @@ class TriggerUI : public ArdourCanvas::Table, public sigc::trackable
 class TriggerWidget : public ArdourCanvas::GtkCanvas
 {
   public:
-	TriggerWidget (ARDOUR::Trigger& tb);
+	TriggerWidget ();
 	void size_request (double& w, double& h) const;
+	void set_trigger (ARDOUR::Trigger* t) const {ui->set_trigger(t);}
 
   private:
 	TriggerUI* ui;
@@ -110,7 +113,7 @@ class TriggerWidget : public ArdourCanvas::GtkCanvas
 class TriggerWindow : public Gtk::Window
 {
     public:
-	TriggerWindow (ARDOUR::Trigger&);
+	TriggerWindow (ARDOUR::Trigger*);
 
 	bool on_key_press_event (GdkEventKey*);
 	bool on_key_release_event (GdkEventKey*);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/triggerbox_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/triggerbox_ui.cc
index d40f0609d4..fbda0dbf28 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/triggerbox_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/triggerbox_ui.cc
@@ -624,7 +624,7 @@ TriggerBoxUI::edit_trigger (uint64_t n)
 	TriggerWindow* tw = static_cast<TriggerWindow*> (trigger->ui());
 
 	if (!tw) {
-		tw = new TriggerWindow (*_triggerbox.trigger (n));
+		tw = new TriggerWindow (_triggerbox.trigger (n));
 		trigger->set_ui (tw);
 	}