diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
index 5ea33f54a5..ccab3e5513 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.cc
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ Mixer_UI::instance ()
 Mixer_UI::Mixer_UI ()
 	: Tabbable (_content, _("Mixer"), X_("mixer"))
 	, plugin_search_clear_button (Stock::CLEAR)
+	, _mixer_scene_release (0)
 	, no_track_list_redisplay (false)
 	, in_group_row_change (false)
 	, track_menu (0)
@@ -446,6 +447,7 @@ Mixer_UI::~Mixer_UI ()
 	delete _plugin_selector;
 	delete track_menu;
 	delete _group_tabs;
+	delete _mixer_scene_release;
 }
 
 struct MixerStripSorter {
@@ -4113,16 +4115,16 @@ Mixer_UI::scene_button_press (GdkEventButton* ev, int idx)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	_mixer_scene_momentary = false;
-
 	if (Keyboard::is_context_menu_event (ev)) {
 		popup_scene_menu (ev, idx);
 	} else if (Keyboard::is_delete_event (ev)) {
 		clear_mixer_scene (idx, true);
 	} else if (Keyboard::is_momentary_push_event (ev)) {
 		/* momentary */
-		_mixer_scene_momentary = true;
-		recall_mixer_scene(idx, false);
+		delete _mixer_scene_release; // .. or keep existing?
+		_mixer_scene_release = new MixerScene (*_session);
+		_mixer_scene_release->snapshot (); // TODO; prevent changed signal
+		recall_mixer_scene (idx, false);
 		return false;
 	} else if (ev->button == 1) {
 		return false;
@@ -4134,12 +4136,10 @@ Mixer_UI::scene_button_press (GdkEventButton* ev, int idx)
 bool
 Mixer_UI::scene_button_release (GdkEventButton* ev, int idx)
 {
-	if (!_session) {
-		return false;
-	}
-	if (_mixer_scene_momentary) {
-		_session->apply_mixer_scene_undo();
-		_mixer_scene_momentary = false;
+	if (_mixer_scene_release) {
+		_mixer_scene_release->apply ();
+		delete _mixer_scene_release;
+		_mixer_scene_release = 0;
 	} else if (ev->button == 1) {
 		recall_mixer_scene (idx);
 	}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h
index fed44c4555..b05f2181ad 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_ui.h
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ private:
 
 	std::vector<ArdourWidgets::ArdourButton*> _mixer_scene_buttons;
 	std::vector<Gtk::Label*>                  _mixer_scene_labels;
-	bool                                      _mixer_scene_momentary;
+	ARDOUR::MixerScene*                       _mixer_scene_release;
 
 	void popup_scene_menu (GdkEventButton* ev, int);
 	bool scene_button_press (GdkEventButton*, int);
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
index d4673ba2a1..0fb75a52ed 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
@@ -1219,7 +1219,6 @@ public:
 	void store_nth_mixer_scene (size_t);
 	bool nth_mixer_scene_valid (size_t) const;
 	size_t last_touched_mixer_scene_idx () {return _last_touched_mixer_scene_idx;}
-	void apply_mixer_scene_undo ();
 
 	boost::shared_ptr<MixerScene>              nth_mixer_scene (size_t, bool create_if_missing = false);
 	std::vector<boost::shared_ptr<MixerScene>> mixer_scenes () const;
@@ -1439,11 +1438,7 @@ private:
 	bool                    _session_range_is_free;
 	bool                    _silent;
 	samplecnt_t             _remaining_latency_preroll;
-
-	void stash_mixer_scene_undo ();
-	ARDOUR::MixerScene*                       _mixer_scene_undo;
-	size_t                                    _mixer_scene_undo_idx;
-	size_t                                    _last_touched_mixer_scene_idx;
+	size_t                  _last_touched_mixer_scene_idx;
 
 	// varispeed playback -- TODO: move out of session to backend.
 	double                  _engine_speed;
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session.cc b/libs/ardour/session.cc
index f6cff34682..37b4424aeb 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session.cc
@@ -198,8 +198,6 @@ Session::Session (AudioEngine &eng,
 	, _session_range_is_free (true)
 	, _silent (false)
 	, _remaining_latency_preroll (0)
-	, _mixer_scene_undo_idx (0)
-	, _mixer_scene_undo (0)
 	, _last_touched_mixer_scene_idx (std::numeric_limits<size_t>::max())
 	, _engine_speed (1.0)
 	, _signalled_varispeed (0)
@@ -818,8 +816,6 @@ Session::destroy ()
 
 	delete midi_clock;
 
-	delete _mixer_scene_undo;
-
 	/* clear event queue, the session is gone, nobody is interested in
 	 * those anymore, but they do leak memory if not removed
 	 */
@@ -7527,32 +7523,9 @@ Session::nth_mixer_scene_valid (size_t nth) const
 	return !_mixer_scenes[nth]->empty ();
 }
 
-void
-Session::stash_mixer_scene_undo ()
-{
-	delete _mixer_scene_undo; // .. or keep existing?
-	_mixer_scene_undo = new MixerScene (*this);
-	_mixer_scene_undo->snapshot ();
-	_mixer_scene_undo_idx = _last_touched_mixer_scene_idx;
-}
-
-void
-Session::apply_mixer_scene_undo ()
-{
-	if (_mixer_scene_undo) {
-		_mixer_scene_undo->apply ();
-		delete _mixer_scene_undo;
-		_mixer_scene_undo = 0;
-		_last_touched_mixer_scene_idx = _mixer_scene_undo_idx;
-	}
-	MixerScene::Change();
-}
-
 bool
 Session::apply_nth_mixer_scene (size_t nth)
 {
-	stash_mixer_scene_undo();
-
 	boost::shared_ptr<MixerScene> scene;
 	{
 		Glib::Threads::RWLock::ReaderLock lm (_mixer_scenes_lock);
@@ -7573,8 +7546,6 @@ Session::apply_nth_mixer_scene (size_t nth)
 bool
 Session::apply_nth_mixer_scene (size_t nth, RouteList const& rl)
 {
-	stash_mixer_scene_undo();
-
 	boost::shared_ptr<MixerScene> scene;
 	{
 		Glib::Threads::RWLock::ReaderLock lm (_mixer_scenes_lock);