diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index e49c92666e..0c7e32f909 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 #include "ardour/types.h"
 #include "ardour/utils.h"
 #include "ardour/plugin.h"
-#include "ardour/session_handle.h"
+#include "ardour/session_controller_handle.h"
 #include "ardour/system_exec.h"
 
 #include "video_timeline.h"
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ namespace ArdourWidgets {
 #define MAX_LUA_ACTION_SCRIPTS 32
 #define MAX_LUA_ACTION_BUTTONS 12
 
-class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr, public TransportControlProvider
+class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionControllerHandlePtr, public TransportControlProvider
 {
 public:
 	ARDOUR_UI (int *argcp, char **argvp[], const char* localedir);
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session_controller_handle.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session_controller_handle.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2443eda388
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session_controller_handle.h
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2009-2017 Paul Davis <paul@linuxaudiosystems.com>
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ */
+
+#ifndef __libardour_session_controller_handle_h__
+#define __libardour_session_controller_handle_h__
+
+#include "ardour/libardour_visibility.h"
+#include "ardour/session_controller.h"
+#include "ardour/session_handle.h"
+
+namespace ARDOUR {
+
+class Session;
+class SessionController;
+
+class LIBARDOUR_API SessionControllerHandleRef : public SessionHandleRef
+{
+  public:
+	SessionControllerHandleRef (Session& s);
+
+	virtual ~SessionControllerHandleRef ();
+
+  protected:
+	SessionController _controller;
+};
+
+class LIBARDOUR_API SessionControllerHandlePtr : public SessionHandlePtr
+{
+  public:
+	SessionControllerHandlePtr (Session* s);
+	SessionControllerHandlePtr ();
+
+	virtual ~SessionControllerHandlePtr ();
+
+	virtual void set_session (Session *);
+
+  protected:
+	SessionController _controller;
+};
+
+} /* namespace */
+
+#endif /* __libardour_session_controller_handle_h__ */
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_controller_handle.cc b/libs/ardour/session_controller_handle.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..284483f3a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_controller_handle.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2009-2016 Paul Davis <paul@linuxaudiosystems.com>
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+ * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ */
+
+#include "pbd/demangle.h"
+#include "pbd/error.h"
+
+#include "ardour/boost_debug.h"
+#include "ardour/session.h"
+#include "ardour/session_controller.h"
+#include "ardour/session_controller_handle.h"
+
+#include "pbd/i18n.h"
+
+using namespace std;
+using namespace ARDOUR;
+using namespace PBD;
+
+SessionControllerHandleRef::SessionControllerHandleRef (Session& s)
+	: SessionHandleRef (s)
+	, _controller (&s)
+{
+	_session.DropReferences.connect_same_thread (*this, boost::bind (&SessionControllerHandleRef::session_going_away, this));
+	_session.Destroyed.connect_same_thread (*this, boost::bind (&SessionControllerHandleRef::insanity_check, this));
+}
+
+SessionControllerHandleRef::~SessionControllerHandleRef ()
+{
+}
+
+/*-------------------------*/
+
+SessionControllerHandlePtr::SessionControllerHandlePtr (Session* s)
+	: SessionHandlePtr (s)
+	, _controller (s)
+{
+}
+
+SessionControllerHandlePtr::SessionControllerHandlePtr ()
+	: SessionHandlePtr ()
+	, _controller (NULL)
+{
+}
+
+SessionControllerHandlePtr::~SessionControllerHandlePtr ()
+{
+}
+
+void
+SessionControllerHandlePtr::set_session (Session* s)
+{
+	SessionHandlePtr::set_session (s);
+
+	_controller = SessionController (s);
+}
diff --git a/libs/ardour/wscript b/libs/ardour/wscript
index 57e47b9145..f9dd2d9d4b 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/wscript
+++ b/libs/ardour/wscript
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ libardour_sources = [
         'session_command.cc',
         'session_configuration.cc',
         'session_controller.cc',
+        'session_controller_handle.cc',
         'session_directory.cc',
         'session_events.cc',
         'session_export.cc',