diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc b/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc
index 61129dc1e8..adefb26174 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.cc
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ ArdourWebsockets::ArdourWebsockets (Session& s)
     , AbstractUI<ArdourWebsocketsUIRequest> (name ())
     , _mixer (*this)
     , _transport (*this)
-    , _feedback (*this)
     , _server (*this)
+    , _feedback (*this)
     , _dispatcher (*this)
 {
 	_components.push_back (&_mixer);
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.h b/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.h
index 53f64e10f5..2c71d09ed4 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.h
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/ardour_websockets.h
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ protected:
 private:
 	ArdourMixer                    _mixer;
 	ArdourTransport                _transport;
-	ArdourFeedback                 _feedback;
 	WebsocketsServer               _server;
+	ArdourFeedback                 _feedback;
 	WebsocketsDispatcher           _dispatcher;
 	std::vector<SurfaceComponent*> _components;
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.cc b/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.cc
index 5fa42a7cca..9542c1beff 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 #include "ardour/session.h"
 #include "ardour/tempo.h"
 
+#include "pbd/abstract_ui.cc" // instantiate template
+
 #include "feedback.h"
 #include "transport.h"
 #include "server.h"
@@ -28,9 +30,20 @@
 // TO DO: make this configurable
 #define POLL_INTERVAL_MS 100
 
+#define OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(s,c) if (server ().should_request_write ()) \
+											s.connect (c, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, boost::bind<void> \
+											(ServerWriteObserver (), &server ()), &_helper);
+
 using namespace ARDOUR;
 using namespace ArdourSurface;
 
+struct ServerWriteObserver {
+	void operator() (WebsocketsServer *server)
+	{
+		server->request_write ();
+	}
+};
+
 struct TransportObserver {
 	void operator() (ArdourFeedback* p)
 	{
@@ -97,6 +110,24 @@ struct PluginParamValueObserver {
 	}
 };
 
+FeedbackHelperUI::FeedbackHelperUI()
+	: AbstractUI<BaseUI::BaseRequestObject> ("feedback_helper")
+{
+	pthread_set_name ("test_ui_thread"); // FIXME - needed?
+	run_loop_thread = Glib::Threads::Thread::self ();
+	set_event_loop_for_thread (this);
+	ARDOUR::SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool ("test", 512); // FIXME - needed?
+}
+
+void
+FeedbackHelperUI::do_request (BaseUI::BaseRequestObject* req) {
+	if (req->type == CallSlot) {
+		call_slot (MISSING_INVALIDATOR, req->the_slot);
+	} else if (req->type == Quit) {
+		quit ();
+	}
+};
+
 int
 ArdourFeedback::start ()
 {
@@ -107,7 +138,15 @@ ArdourFeedback::start ()
 	Glib::RefPtr<Glib::TimeoutSource> periodic_timeout = Glib::TimeoutSource::create (POLL_INTERVAL_MS);
 	_periodic_connection                               = periodic_timeout->connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this,
                                                                          &ArdourFeedback::poll));
-	periodic_timeout->attach (main_loop ()->get_context ());
+
+	// server must be started before feedback otherwise
+	// should_request_write() will always return false
+	if (!server ().should_request_write ()) {
+		periodic_timeout->attach (main_loop ()->get_context ());
+	} else {
+		_helper.run();
+		periodic_timeout->attach (_helper.main_loop()->get_context ());
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -115,6 +154,10 @@ ArdourFeedback::start ()
 int
 ArdourFeedback::stop ()
 {
+	if (server ().should_request_write ()) {
+		_helper.quit();
+	}
+
 	_periodic_connection.disconnect ();
 	_transport_connections.drop_connections ();
 	
@@ -176,6 +219,10 @@ ArdourFeedback::poll () const
 		update_all (Node::strip_meter, it->first, db);
 	}
 
+	if (server ().should_request_write ()) {
+		server ().request_write ();
+	}
+
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -185,10 +232,15 @@ ArdourFeedback::observe_transport ()
 	ARDOUR::Session& sess = session ();
 	sess.TransportStateChange.connect (_transport_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR,
 	                                   boost::bind<void> (TransportObserver (), this), event_loop ());
+	OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(sess.TransportStateChange, _transport_connections);
+
 	sess.RecordStateChanged.connect (_transport_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR,
 	                                 boost::bind<void> (RecordStateObserver (), this), event_loop ());
+	OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(sess.RecordStateChanged, _transport_connections);
+
 	sess.tempo_map ().PropertyChanged.connect (_transport_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR,
 	                                 boost::bind<void> (TempoObserver (), this), event_loop ());
+	OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(sess.tempo_map ().PropertyChanged, _transport_connections);
 }
 
 void
@@ -202,14 +254,17 @@ ArdourFeedback::observe_mixer ()
 
 		stripable->gain_control ()->Changed.connect (*it->second, MISSING_INVALIDATOR,
 		                                         boost::bind<void> (StripGainObserver (), this, strip_id), event_loop ());
+		OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(stripable->gain_control ()->Changed, *it->second);
 
 		if (stripable->pan_azimuth_control ()) {
 			stripable->pan_azimuth_control ()->Changed.connect (*it->second, MISSING_INVALIDATOR,
 			                                                boost::bind<void> (StripPanObserver (), this, strip_id), event_loop ());
+			OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(stripable->pan_azimuth_control ()->Changed, *it->second);
 		}
 
 		stripable->mute_control ()->Changed.connect (*it->second, MISSING_INVALIDATOR,
 		                                         boost::bind<void> (StripMuteObserver (), this, strip_id), event_loop ());
+		OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(stripable->mute_control ()->Changed, *it->second);
 	
 		observe_strip_plugins (strip_id, strip->plugins ());
 	}
@@ -229,6 +284,7 @@ ArdourFeedback::observe_strip_plugins (uint32_t strip_id, ArdourMixerStrip::Plug
 		if (control) {
 			control->Changed.connect (*plugin, MISSING_INVALIDATOR,
 			                          boost::bind<void> (PluginBypassObserver (), this, strip_id, plugin_id), event_loop ());
+			OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(control->Changed, *plugin);
 		}
 
 		for (uint32_t param_id = 0; param_id < plugin->param_count (); ++param_id) {
@@ -239,6 +295,7 @@ ArdourFeedback::observe_strip_plugins (uint32_t strip_id, ArdourMixerStrip::Plug
 				                          boost::bind<void> (PluginParamValueObserver (), this, strip_id, plugin_id, param_id,
 				                                             boost::weak_ptr<AutomationControl>(control)),
 				                          event_loop ());
+				OPTIONAL_CONNECT_HELPER(control->Changed, *plugin);
 			} catch (ArdourMixerNotFoundException& e) {
 				/* ignore */
 			}
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.h b/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.h
index 6cac0debdc..fdf600d3ee 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.h
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/feedback.h
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
 
 #include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
 #include <boost/unordered_map.hpp>
-#include <glibmm/main.h>
+#include <glibmm/threads.h>
+
+#include "pbd/abstract_ui.h"
 
 #include "component.h"
 #include "typed_value.h"
@@ -29,6 +31,17 @@
 
 namespace ArdourSurface {
 
+class FeedbackHelperUI : public AbstractUI<BaseUI::BaseRequestObject>
+{
+public:
+	FeedbackHelperUI ();
+	~FeedbackHelperUI () {};
+
+protected:
+	virtual void do_request (BaseUI::BaseRequestObject*);
+
+};
+
 class ArdourFeedback : public SurfaceComponent
 {
 public:
@@ -49,6 +62,9 @@ private:
 	PBD::ScopedConnectionList _transport_connections;
 	sigc::connection          _periodic_connection;
 
+	// Only needed for server event loop integration method 3
+	FeedbackHelperUI          _helper;
+
 	bool poll () const;
 
 	void observe_transport ();
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.cc b/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.cc
index 6c4c51fd4a..7dc6497a06 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.cc
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ WebsocketsServer::stop ()
 
 	if (_g_source) { // Method 3
 		g_source_destroy (_g_source);
+		lws_cancel_service (_lws_context);
 	}
 
 	if (_lws_context) {
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.h b/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.h
index 204a58ec9b..2986914b5f 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.h
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/server.h
@@ -112,8 +112,11 @@ private:
 
 	GSource* _g_source;
 
-	void            request_write ();
-	static gboolean glib_idle_callback (void *data);
+	static gboolean glib_idle_callback (void *);
+
+public:
+	bool should_request_write () { return _g_source != 0; }
+	void request_write ();
 
 };