diff --git a/libs/ardour/session.cc b/libs/ardour/session.cc
index 544a669afc..a96add30a6 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session.cc
@@ -2953,17 +2953,18 @@ Session::add_internal_send (boost::shared_ptr<Route> dest, boost::shared_ptr<Pro
 void
 Session::remove_routes (boost::shared_ptr<RouteList> routes_to_remove)
 {
-    for (RouteList::iterator iter = routes_to_remove->begin(); iter != routes_to_remove->end(); ++iter) {
+    { //RCU Writer scope
+        RCUWriter<RouteList> writer (routes);
+        boost::shared_ptr<RouteList> rs = writer.get_copy ();
         
-        if (*iter == _master_out || *iter == _master_track) {
-            return;
-        }
         
-        (*iter)->set_solo (false, this);
-        
-        {
-            RCUWriter<RouteList> writer (routes);
-            boost::shared_ptr<RouteList> rs = writer.get_copy ();
+        for (RouteList::iterator iter = routes_to_remove->begin(); iter != routes_to_remove->end(); ++iter) {
+            
+            if (*iter == _master_out || *iter == _master_track) {
+                return;
+            }
+            
+            (*iter)->set_solo (false, this);
             
             rs->remove (*iter);
             
@@ -2983,59 +2984,60 @@ Session::remove_routes (boost::shared_ptr<RouteList> routes_to_remove)
             if (*iter == _master_track) {
                 _master_track.reset ();
             }
+
+            update_route_solo_state ();
             
-            /* writer goes out of scope, forces route list update */
-        }
-        update_route_solo_state ();
-        
-        // We need to disconnect the route's inputs and outputs
-        
-        (*iter)->input()->disconnect (0);
-        (*iter)->output()->disconnect (0);
-        
-        /* if the route had internal sends sending to it, remove them */
-        if ((*iter)->internal_return()) {
+            // We need to disconnect the route's inputs and outputs
             
-            boost::shared_ptr<RouteList> r = routes.reader ();
-            for (RouteList::iterator i = r->begin(); i != r->end(); ++i) {
-                boost::shared_ptr<Send> s = (*i)->internal_send_for (*iter);
-                if (s) {
-                    (*i)->remove_processor (s);
+            (*iter)->input()->disconnect (0);
+            (*iter)->output()->disconnect (0);
+            
+            /* if the route had internal sends sending to it, remove them */
+            if ((*iter)->internal_return()) {
+                
+                boost::shared_ptr<RouteList> r = routes.reader ();
+                for (RouteList::iterator i = r->begin(); i != r->end(); ++i) {
+                    boost::shared_ptr<Send> s = (*i)->internal_send_for (*iter);
+                    if (s) {
+                        (*i)->remove_processor (s);
+                    }
                 }
             }
-        }
-        
-        /* if the monitoring section had a pointer to this route, remove it */
-        if (_monitor_out && !(*iter)->is_master() && !(*iter)->is_monitor()) {
-            Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock lm (AudioEngine::instance()->process_lock ());
-            PBD::Unwinder<bool> uw (ignore_route_processor_changes, true);
-            (*iter)->remove_aux_or_listen (_monitor_out);
-        }
-        
-        boost::shared_ptr<MidiTrack> mt = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiTrack> (*iter);
-        if (mt && mt->step_editing()) {
-            if (_step_editors > 0) {
-                _step_editors--;
+            
+            /* if the monitoring section had a pointer to this route, remove it */
+            if (_monitor_out && !(*iter)->is_master() && !(*iter)->is_monitor()) {
+                Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock lm (AudioEngine::instance()->process_lock ());
+                PBD::Unwinder<bool> uw (ignore_route_processor_changes, true);
+                (*iter)->remove_aux_or_listen (_monitor_out);
             }
-        }
-        
-        /* try to cause everyone to drop their references
-         * and unregister ports from the backend
-         */
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < (*iter)->input()->ports().num_ports(); ++i) {
-            _engine.unregister_port((*iter)->input()->ports().port(i));
-            PortEngine::PortHandle handle = (*iter)->input()->ports().port(i)->port_handle();
-            _engine.current_backend()->unregister_port(handle);
-        }
-        
-        for (size_t i = 0; i < (*iter)->output()->ports().num_ports(); ++i) {
-            _engine.unregister_port((*iter)->output()->ports().port(i));
-            PortEngine::PortHandle handle = (*iter)->output()->ports().port(i)->port_handle();
-            _engine.current_backend()->unregister_port(handle);
-        }
-        (*iter)->drop_references ();
+            
+            boost::shared_ptr<MidiTrack> mt = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiTrack> (*iter);
+            if (mt && mt->step_editing()) {
+                if (_step_editors > 0) {
+                    _step_editors--;
+                }
+            }
+            
+            /* try to cause everyone to drop their references
+             * and unregister ports from the backend
+             */
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < (*iter)->input()->ports().num_ports(); ++i) {
+                _engine.unregister_port((*iter)->input()->ports().port(i));
+                PortEngine::PortHandle handle = (*iter)->input()->ports().port(i)->port_handle();
+                _engine.current_backend()->unregister_port(handle);
+            }
+            
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < (*iter)->output()->ports().num_ports(); ++i) {
+                _engine.unregister_port((*iter)->output()->ports().port(i));
+                PortEngine::PortHandle handle = (*iter)->output()->ports().port(i)->port_handle();
+                _engine.current_backend()->unregister_port(handle);
+            }
+            (*iter)->drop_references ();
 
-    }
+        }
+    
+    /* writer goes out of scope, forces route list update */
+    } // end of RCU Writer scope
     
 	update_latency_compensation ();
 	set_dirty();