diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
index c7f508d0f5..2da91537fb 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
@@ -1162,8 +1162,6 @@ MidiView::model_changed()
 
 	EC_LOCAL_TEMPO_SCOPE_ARG (_editing_context);
 
-	MidiViewBackground::NoteRangeSuspender nrs (_midi_context);
-
 	if (_active_notes) {
 		// Currently recording
 		const samplecnt_t zoom = _editing_context.get_current_zoom();
@@ -1182,6 +1180,8 @@ MidiView::model_changed()
 		return;
 	}
 
+	MidiViewBackground::NoteRangeSuspender nrs (_midi_context);
+
 	for (_optimization_iterator = _events.begin(); _optimization_iterator != _events.end(); ++_optimization_iterator) {
 		_optimization_iterator->second->invalidate ();
 	}