diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
index 5290648519..0ca6d1ceaf 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
@@ -357,6 +357,21 @@ MidiView::set_region (std::shared_ptr<MidiRegion> mr)
 	set_model (_midi_region->midi_source (0)->model());
 }
 
+int
+MidiView::pick_visible_channel () const
+{
+	int n = 0;
+
+	while (n < 16) {
+		if (_model->channels_present() & (1 << n)) {
+			return n;
+		}
+		++n;
+	}
+
+	return n;
+}
+
 void
 MidiView::set_model (std::shared_ptr<MidiModel> m)
 {
@@ -374,22 +389,7 @@ MidiView::set_model (std::shared_ptr<MidiModel> m)
 
 	//set_height (trackview.current_height());
 
-	if (_show_source) {
-		int n = 0;
-
-		while (n < 16) {
-			if (_model->channels_present() & (1 << n)) {
-				set_visible_channel (n);
-				break;
-			}
-			++n;
-		}
-
-		if (n == 16) {
-			/* No channel data in model, use channel 0 (1) */
-			set_visible_channel (0);
-		}
-	}
+	set_visible_channel (pick_visible_channel());
 
 	_model->ContentsChanged.connect (connections_requiring_model, invalidator (*this), std::bind (&MidiView::model_changed, this), gui_context());
 
@@ -5359,6 +5359,10 @@ MidiView::set_visibility_note_range (MidiViewBackground::VisibleNoteRange nvr, b
 void
 MidiView::set_visible_channel (int chn, bool clear_selection)
 {
+	if (!_show_source) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	_visible_channel = chn;
 	VisibleChannelChanged(); /* EMIT SIGNAL */
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h
index 8409a26842..43665098a8 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.h
@@ -378,6 +378,7 @@ class MidiView : public virtual sigc::trackable, public LineMerger
 
 	int visible_channel() const { return _visible_channel; }
 	void set_visible_channel (int, bool clear_selection = true);
+	int pick_visible_channel () const;
 	PBD::Signal<void()> VisibleChannelChanged;
 
   protected:
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
index bbb77b2615..129714401a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
@@ -2564,6 +2564,8 @@ Pianoroll::set_region (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::MidiRegion> r)
 	view->show_start (true);
 	view->show_end (true);
 
+	set_visible_channel (view->pick_visible_channel());
+
 	r->DropReferences.connect (object_connections, invalidator (*this), std::bind (&Pianoroll::unset, this, false), gui_context());
 	r->PropertyChanged.connect (object_connections, invalidator (*this), std::bind (&Pianoroll::region_prop_change, this, _1), gui_context());