diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc
index 1323388b25..c42dc67aa4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.cc
@@ -70,13 +70,14 @@ struct ColumnInfo {
 
 EditorRoutes::EditorRoutes (Editor* e)
 	: EditorComponent (e)
-    , _ignore_reorder (false)
-    , _no_redisplay (false)
-    , _adding_routes (false)
-    , _menu (0)
-    , old_focus (0)
-    , selection_countdown (0)
-    , name_editable (0)
+        , _ignore_reorder (false)
+        , _no_redisplay (false)
+        , _adding_routes (false)
+        , _route_deletion_in_progress (false)
+        , _menu (0)
+        , old_focus (0)
+        , selection_countdown (0)
+        , name_editable (0)
 {
 	static const int column_width = 22;
 
@@ -274,7 +275,7 @@ EditorRoutes::EditorRoutes (Editor* e)
 	active_col->set_fixed_width (30);
 	active_col->set_alignment (ALIGN_CENTER);
 	
-	_model->signal_row_deleted().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &EditorRoutes::route_deleted));
+	_model->signal_row_deleted().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &EditorRoutes::row_deleted));
 	_model->signal_rows_reordered().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &EditorRoutes::reordered));
 
 	_display.signal_button_press_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &EditorRoutes::button_press), false);
@@ -563,18 +564,38 @@ EditorRoutes::redisplay ()
 }
 
 void
-EditorRoutes::route_deleted (Gtk::TreeModel::Path const &)
+EditorRoutes::row_deleted (Gtk::TreeModel::Path const &)
 {
-	/* this happens as the second step of a DnD within the treeview as well
-	   as when a row/route is actually deleted.
+	/* this happens as the second step of a DnD within the treeview, and
+	   when a route is actually removed. we don't differentiate between
+	   the two cases.
+	   
+	   note that the sync_orders_keys() step may not actually change any
+	   RID's (e.g. the last track may be removed, so all other tracks keep
+	   the same RID), which means that no redisplay would happen. so we 
+           have to force a redisplay.
 	*/
+
 	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::OrderKeys, "editor routes treeview row deleted\n");
+
+        if (_route_deletion_in_progress) {
+                suspend_redisplay ();
+        }
+
 	sync_order_keys_from_treeview ();
+
+        if (_route_deletion_in_progress) {
+                resume_redisplay ();
+        }
 }
 
 void
 EditorRoutes::reordered (TreeModel::Path const &, TreeModel::iterator const &, int* /*what*/)
 {
+	/* reordering implies that RID's will change, so sync_order_keys() will
+	   cause a redisplay.
+	*/
+
 	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::OrderKeys, "editor routes treeview reordered\n");
 	sync_order_keys_from_treeview ();
 }
@@ -737,10 +758,13 @@ EditorRoutes::route_removed (TimeAxisView *tv)
 
 	TreeModel::Children rows = _model->children();
 	TreeModel::Children::iterator ri;
+	bool found = false;
 
 	for (ri = rows.begin(); ri != rows.end(); ++ri) {
 		if ((*ri)[_columns.tv] == tv) {
+                        PBD::Unwinder<bool> uw (_route_deletion_in_progress, true);
 			_model->erase (ri);
+			found = true;
 			break;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.h
index 54560137d3..7b994ae8b1 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_routes.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ private:
 	void build_menu ();
 	void show_menu ();
         void sync_treeview_from_order_keys ();
-	void route_deleted (Gtk::TreeModel::Path const &);
+	void row_deleted (Gtk::TreeModel::Path const &);
 	void visible_changed (std::string const &);
 	void active_changed (std::string const &);
 	void reordered (Gtk::TreeModel::Path const &, Gtk::TreeModel::iterator const &, int *);
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ private:
 
 	bool _ignore_reorder;
 	bool _no_redisplay;
-    bool _adding_routes;
+        bool _adding_routes;
+        bool _route_deletion_in_progress;
 
 	Gtk::Menu* _menu;
     Gtk::Widget* old_focus;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
index 5bdebff3c8..97494a1e6c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ Mixer_UI::Mixer_UI ()
 	, _strip_width (Config->get_default_narrow_ms() ? Narrow : Wide)
 	, ignore_reorder (false)
 	, _following_editor_selection (false)
+        , _in_group_rebuild_or_clear (false)
+        , _route_deletion_in_progress (false)
+	, _maximised (false)
 {
 	/* allow this window to become the key focus window */
 	set_flags (CAN_FOCUS);
@@ -240,9 +243,6 @@ Mixer_UI::Mixer_UI ()
 	list_hpane.show();
 	group_display.show();
 
-	_in_group_rebuild_or_clear = false;
-	_maximised = false;
-
 	MixerStrip::CatchDeletion.connect (*this, invalidator (*this), boost::bind (&Mixer_UI::remove_strip, this, _1), gui_context());
 
         MonitorSection::setup_knob_images ();
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ Mixer_UI::remove_strip (MixerStrip* strip)
 	
 	for (ri = rows.begin(); ri != rows.end(); ++ri) {
 		if ((*ri)[track_columns.strip] == strip) {
+                        PBD::Unwinder<bool> uw (_route_deletion_in_progress, true);
 			track_model->erase (ri);
 			break;
 		}
@@ -1000,9 +1001,17 @@ Mixer_UI::track_list_delete (const Gtk::TreeModel::Path&)
 {
 	/* this happens as the second step of a DnD within the treeview as well
 	   as when a row/route is actually deleted.
+           
+           if it was a deletion then we have to force a redisplay because
+           order keys may not have changed.
 	*/
+
 	DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::OrderKeys, "mixer UI treeview row deleted\n");
 	sync_order_keys_from_treeview ();
+
+        if (_route_deletion_in_progress) {
+                redisplay_track_list ();
+        }
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h
index 5af36c39e2..f49088b0aa 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ class Mixer_UI : public Gtk::Window, public PBD::ScopedConnectionList, public AR
 	    it during a session teardown.
 	*/
 	bool _in_group_rebuild_or_clear;
+        bool _route_deletion_in_progress;
 
 	void update_title ();
 	MixerStrip* strip_by_x (int x);