diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index cdf8099fd0..ac7e493fe3 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -667,16 +667,21 @@ ARDOUR_UI::startup ()
 		if (!nsm->init (nsm_url)) {
 			nsm->announce (PROGRAM_NAME, ":dirty:", "ardour3");
 
+			unsigned int i = 0;
 			// wait for announce reply from nsm server
-			do {
+			for ( i = 0; i < 5000; ++i) {
 				nsm->check ();
-				usleep (10);
-			} while (!nsm->is_active ());
+				usleep (i);
+				if (nsm->is_active())
+					break;
+			}
 			// wait for open command from nsm server
-			do {
+			for ( i = 0; i < 5000; ++i) {
 				nsm->check ();
-				usleep (10);
-			} while (!nsm->client_id ());
+				usleep (1000);
+				if (nsm->client_id ())
+					break;
+			}
 
 			if (_session && nsm) {
 				_session->set_nsm_state( nsm->is_active() );
@@ -699,12 +704,6 @@ ARDOUR_UI::startup ()
 				}
 			}
 
-			// wait for session is loaded reply from nsm server
-			do {
-				nsm->check ();
-				usleep (10);
-			} while (!nsm->session_loaded ());
-
 		}
 		else {
 			delete nsm;
@@ -982,7 +981,7 @@ ARDOUR_UI::every_second ()
 	update_disk_space ();
 	update_timecode_format ();
 
-	if (nsm && nsm->is_active () && nsm->session_loaded ()) {
+	if (nsm && nsm->is_active ()) {
 		nsm->check ();
 
 		if (!_was_dirty && _session->dirty ()) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/nsm.cc b/gtk2_ardour/nsm.cc
index 09449c5630..7c5fcfbf6e 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/nsm.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/nsm.cc
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 
 NSM_Client::NSM_Client()
 {
-    _session_loaded = false;
 }
 
 int
@@ -59,9 +58,3 @@ NSM_Client::command_open(const char *name,
     }
     return r;
 }
-
-void
-NSM_Client::command_session_is_loaded ( void )
-{
-    _session_loaded = true;
-}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/nsm.h b/gtk2_ardour/nsm.h
index a2b0c11151..5491e1985f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/nsm.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/nsm.h
@@ -28,17 +28,12 @@ class NSM_Client:public NSM::Client
         NSM_Client();
         ~NSM_Client() { }
 
-        bool session_loaded(void) { return _session_loaded; }
-
     protected:
 
-        bool _session_loaded;
-
         int command_open(const char *name,
                          const char *display_name,
                          const char *client_id,
                          char **out_msg);
         int command_save(char **out_msg);
-        void command_session_is_loaded (void);
 };