diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
index b87011daa7..ad6a7f60bc 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
@@ -1339,7 +1339,7 @@ MidiRegionView::display_patch_changes_on_channel (uint8_t channel, bool active_c
 				const double x = trackview.editor().sample_to_pixel (region_frames);
 				const string patch_name = instrument_info().get_patch_name ((*i)->bank(), (*i)->program(), channel);
 				p->canvas_item()->set_position (ArdourCanvas::Duple (x, 1.0));
-				p->flag()->set_text (patch_name);
+				p->set_text (patch_name);
 
 				p->show();
 			}
@@ -1419,7 +1419,7 @@ MidiRegionView::display_sysexes()
 				new SysEx (*this, _note_group, text, height, x, 1.0, sysex_ptr));
 			_sys_exes.insert (make_pair (sysex_ptr, sysex));
 		} else {
-			sysex->flag()->set_height (height);
+			sysex->set_height (height);
 			sysex->item().set_position (ArdourCanvas::Duple (x, 1.0));
 		}
 
@@ -1491,7 +1491,7 @@ MidiRegionView::reset_width_dependent_items (double pixel_width)
 	bool hide_all = false;
 	PatchChanges::iterator x = _patch_changes.begin();
 	if (x != _patch_changes.end()) {
-		hide_all = x->second->flag()->width() >= _pixel_width;
+		hide_all = x->second->width() >= _pixel_width;
 	}
 
 	if (hide_all) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/patch_change.h b/gtk2_ardour/patch_change.h
index 8902eb426e..791252e7ae 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/patch_change.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/patch_change.h
@@ -56,10 +56,12 @@ public:
 	void hide ();
 	void show ();
 
+	double width() const { return _flag->width(); }
+	void set_text (std::string const & s) { _flag->set_text (s); }
+
 	ARDOUR::MidiModel::PatchChangePtr patch()       const { return _patch; }
 	ArdourCanvas::Item*               canvas_item() const { return _flag; }
 	ArdourCanvas::Item&               item()        const { return *_flag; }
-	ArdourCanvas::Flag*               flag()        const { return _flag; }
 
 private:
 	bool event_handler (GdkEvent *);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/sys_ex.h b/gtk2_ardour/sys_ex.h
index 47ad523a53..4efcc1f5bd 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/sys_ex.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/sys_ex.h
@@ -43,8 +43,9 @@ public:
 	void hide ();
 	void show ();
 
-        ArdourCanvas::Item& item() const { return *_flag; }
-	ArdourCanvas::Flag* flag() const { return _flag; }
+	void set_height (ArdourCanvas::Distance h) { _flag->set_height (h); }
+
+	ArdourCanvas::Item& item() const { return *_flag; }
 
 private:
 	bool event_handler (GdkEvent* ev);