diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h
index a24d102555..959448881f 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/route.h
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ public:
 	void set_denormal_protection (bool yn);
 	bool denormal_protection() const;
 
-	void         set_meter_point (MeterPoint, bool force = false);
+	void         set_meter_point (MeterPoint);
 	bool         apply_processor_changes_rt ();
 	void         emit_pending_signals ();
 	MeterPoint   meter_point() const { return _pending_meter_point; }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/route.cc b/libs/ardour/route.cc
index 7c653b6fe1..d420824219 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/route.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/route.cc
@@ -2693,7 +2693,7 @@ Route::set_state (const XMLNode& node, int version)
 
 	MeterPoint mp;
 	if (node.get_property (X_("meter-point"), mp)) {
-		set_meter_point (mp, true);
+		set_meter_point (mp);
 		if (_meter) {
 			_meter->set_display_to_user (_meter_point == MeterCustom);
 		}
@@ -4022,13 +4022,13 @@ Route::emit_pending_signals ()
 }
 
 void
-Route::set_meter_point (MeterPoint p, bool force)
+Route::set_meter_point (MeterPoint p)
 {
-	if (_pending_meter_point == p && !force) {
+	if (_pending_meter_point == p) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (force || !AudioEngine::instance()->running()) {
+	if (!AudioEngine::instance()->running()) {
 		bool meter_visibly_changed = false;
 		{
 			Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock lx (AudioEngine::instance()->process_lock ());