diff --git a/libs/ardour/butler.cc b/libs/ardour/butler.cc
index 3ee927f1e6..5775394da3 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/butler.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/butler.cc
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ Butler::setup_request_pipe ()
 int
 Butler::start_thread()
 {
+    // set up capture and playback buffering
     Diskstream::set_buffering_parameters (Config->get_buffering_preset());
     
 	/* size is in Samples, not bytes */
@@ -131,9 +132,6 @@ Butler::start_thread()
 	audio_dstream_capture_buffer_size = (uint32_t) floor (Config->get_audio_capture_buffer_seconds() * rate);
 	audio_dstream_playback_buffer_size = (uint32_t) floor (Config->get_audio_playback_buffer_seconds() * rate);
     
-    _session.adjust_capture_buffering ();
-    _session.adjust_playback_buffering ();
-    
 	/* size is in bytes
 	 * XXX: Jack needs to tell us the MIDI buffer size
 	 * (i.e. how many MIDI bytes we might see in a cycle)
@@ -155,6 +153,11 @@ Butler::start_thread()
 
 	//pthread_detach (thread);
 	have_thread = true;
+    
+    // we are ready to request buffer adjustments
+    _session.adjust_capture_buffering ();
+    _session.adjust_playback_buffering ();
+    
 	return 0;
 }