diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc
index 419d885c51..0d744874e9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/audio_region_view.cc
@@ -538,6 +538,14 @@ AudioRegionView::setup_fade_handle_positions()
 void
 AudioRegionView::set_height (gdouble height)
 {
+	uint32_t gap = UIConfiguration::instance().get_vertical_region_gap ();
+	float ui_scale = UIConfiguration::instance().get_ui_scale ();
+	if (gap > 0 && ui_scale > 0) {
+		gap = ceil (gap * ui_scale);
+	}
+
+	height = std::max (3.0, height - gap);
+
 	if (height == _height) {
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc
index 72af2f846c..d67edd7aea 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.cc
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #include "public_editor.h"
 #include "audio_region_view.h"
 #include "audio_streamview.h"
+#include "ui_config.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 
 #include "pbd/i18n.h"
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ AudioTimeAxisView::AudioTimeAxisView (PublicEditor& ed, Session* sess, ArdourCan
 	: SessionHandlePtr (sess)
 	, RouteTimeAxisView(ed, sess, canvas)
 {
+	UIConfiguration::instance().ParameterChanged.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &AudioTimeAxisView::parameter_changed));
 }
 
 void
@@ -278,6 +280,14 @@ AudioTimeAxisView::route_active_changed ()
 	update_control_names ();
 }
 
+void
+AudioTimeAxisView::parameter_changed (string const & p)
+{
+	if (p == "vertical-region-gap") {
+		_view->update_contents_height ();
+	}
+}
+
 
 /**
  *    Set up the names of the controls so that they are coloured
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.h b/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.h
index 52c1a3d151..58139eb3b0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/audio_time_axis.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ private:
 	friend class AudioRegionView;
 
 	void route_active_changed ();
+	void parameter_changed (std::string const &);
 
 	Gtk::Menu* build_mode_menu();
 	void build_automation_action_menu (bool);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
index 6552b65077..c906e96c66 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/rc_option_editor.cc
@@ -3666,6 +3666,19 @@ RCOptionEditor::RCOptionEditor ()
 			sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::set_color_regions_using_track_color)
 			));
 
+#ifndef MIXBUS // hide this setting in Mixbus. Always on, 4px
+	ComboOption<uint32_t>* gap = new ComboOption<uint32_t> (
+		     "vertical-region-gap",
+		     _("Add a visual gap below Audio Regions"),
+		     sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::get_vertical_region_gap),
+		     sigc::mem_fun (UIConfiguration::instance(), &UIConfiguration::set_vertical_region_gap)
+		     );
+	gap->add (0, _("None"));
+	gap->add (2, _("Small"));
+	gap->add (4, _("Large"));
+	add_option (_("Appearance/Editor"), gap);
+#endif
+
 	add_option (_("Appearance/Editor"), new OptionEditorHeading (_("Waveforms")));
 
 	if (!Profile->get_mixbus()) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h
index ede770b8be..44033cf1d8 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ui_config_vars.h
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, all_floating_windows_are_dialogs, "all-floating-window
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, floating_monitor_section, "floating-monitor-section", false)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, transients_follow_front, "transients-follow-front", false)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, color_regions_using_track_color, "color-regions-using-track-color", false)
+#ifdef MIXBUS
+UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, vertical_region_gap, "vertical-region-gap", 4)
+#else
+UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, vertical_region_gap, "vertical-region-gap", 0)
+#endif
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, show_waveform_clipping, "show-waveform-clipping", true)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (uint32_t, lock_gui_after_seconds, "lock-gui-after-seconds", 0)
 UI_CONFIG_VARIABLE (bool, draggable_playhead, "draggable-playhead", true)