diff --git a/libs/widgets/ardour_button.cc b/libs/widgets/ardour_button.cc
index 8f9c668aa8..87ba831b04 100644
--- a/libs/widgets/ardour_button.cc
+++ b/libs/widgets/ardour_button.cc
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ ArdourButton::ArdourButton (Element e, bool toggle)
 	, _char_pixel_width (0)
 	, _char_pixel_height (0)
 	, _char_avg_pixel_width (0)
+	, _width_padding (1.75)
 	, _custom_font_set (false)
 	, _text_width (0)
 	, _text_height (0)
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ ArdourButton::ArdourButton (const std::string& str, Element e, bool toggle)
 	, _char_pixel_width (0)
 	, _char_pixel_height (0)
 	, _char_avg_pixel_width (0)
+	, _width_padding (1.75)
 	, _custom_font_set (false)
 	, _text_width (0)
 	, _text_height (0)
@@ -691,7 +693,7 @@ ArdourButton::on_size_request (Gtk::Requisition* req)
 		} else /*if (!_text.empty() || !_sizing_texts.empty()) */ {
 
 			req->height = std::max(req->height, (int) ceil(char_pixel_height() * BASELINESTRETCH + 1.0));
-			req->width += rint(1.75 * char_pixel_width()); // padding
+			req->width += rint(_width_padding * char_pixel_width()); // padding
 
 			int sizing_text_width = 0, sizing_text_height = 0;
 
@@ -1337,6 +1339,18 @@ ArdourButton::set_text_ellipsize (Pango::EllipsizeMode e)
 	}
 }
 
+void
+ArdourButton::set_width_padding (float p)
+{
+	if (_width_padding == p) {
+		return;
+	}
+	_width_padding = p;
+	if (get_realized ()) {
+		queue_resize ();
+	}
+}
+
 void
 ArdourButton::ensure_layout ()
 {
diff --git a/libs/widgets/widgets/ardour_button.h b/libs/widgets/widgets/ardour_button.h
index 6bfe00a68e..f6a1882622 100644
--- a/libs/widgets/widgets/ardour_button.h
+++ b/libs/widgets/widgets/ardour_button.h
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ class LIBWIDGETS_API ArdourButton : public CairoWidget , public Gtkmm2ext::Activ
 	void set_layout_ellipsize_width (int w);
 	void set_layout_font (const Pango::FontDescription&);
 	void set_text_ellipsize (Pango::EllipsizeMode);
+	void set_width_padding (float);
 
     /* Sets the text used for size request computation. Pass an
      * empty string to return to the default behavior which uses
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ class LIBWIDGETS_API ArdourButton : public CairoWidget , public Gtkmm2ext::Activ
 	unsigned int _char_pixel_width;
 	unsigned int _char_pixel_height;
 	float        _char_avg_pixel_width;
+	float        _width_padding;
 	bool         _custom_font_set;
 
 	int   _text_width;