diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
index 09026e6b29..fc2472ed37 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@ RouteUI::RouteUI (ARDOUR::Session* sess)
 
 RouteUI::~RouteUI()
 {
-	gui_object_state().remove_node(route_state_id());
+	if (_route) {
+		gui_object_state().remove_node (route_state_id());
+	}
 
 	_route.reset (); /* drop reference to route, so that it can be cleaned up */
 	route_connections.drop_connections ();