diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
index 00234670ea..6d78b9fac0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_ops.cc
@@ -2609,17 +2609,16 @@ Editor::play_selection ()
 framepos_t
 Editor::get_preroll (framepos_t pos)
 {
-#if 0 // TODO: this needs a config option, or special case (e.g. negative get_preroll_seconds ())
-	if (pos >= 0) {
+	const float pr = Config->get_preroll_seconds();
+	if (pos >= 0 && pr < 0) {
 		/* currently 1 bar's worth of pre-roll, not aligned to bar/beat
 		 * to align to a bar before pos, see count_in, session_transport.cc
 		 */
 		const Tempo& tempo = _session->tempo_map().tempo_at_frame (pos);
 		const Meter& meter = _session->tempo_map().meter_at_frame (pos);
-		return meter.frames_per_bar (tempo, _session->frame_rate());
+		return meter.frames_per_bar (tempo, _session->frame_rate()) * -pr;
 	}
-#endif
-	return Config->get_preroll_seconds() * _session->frame_rate();
+	return pr * _session->frame_rate();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
index 316592dc12..4a5b0a8eef 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
@@ -2999,8 +2999,11 @@ RCOptionEditor::RCOptionEditor ()
 		     sigc::mem_fun (*_rc_config, &RCConfiguration::set_preroll_seconds)
 		     );
 	Gtkmm2ext::UI::instance()->set_tip (psc->tip_widget(),
-					    (_("The amount of preroll (in seconds) to apply when <b>Play with Preroll</b> is initiated.\n\n"
+					    (_("The amount of preroll to apply when <b>Play with Preroll</b> or <b>Record with Preroll</b>is initiated.\n\n"
 					       "If <b>Follow Edits</b> is enabled, the preroll is applied to the playhead position when a region is selected or trimmed.")));
+	psc->add (-4.0, _("4 Bars"));
+	psc->add (-2.0, _("2 Bars"));
+	psc->add (-1.0, _("1 Bar"));
 	psc->add (0.0, _("0 (no pre-roll)"));
 	psc->add (0.1, _("0.1 second"));
 	psc->add (0.25, _("0.25 second"));