diff --git a/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/midicontrollable.cc b/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/midicontrollable.cc
index 916c5a8a24..5a75afc89a 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/midicontrollable.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/generic_midi/midicontrollable.cc
@@ -270,6 +270,7 @@ MIDIControllable::lookup_controllable()
 	boost::shared_ptr<Controllable> c = _surface->lookup_controllable (_current_uri);
 
 	if (!c) {
+		set_controllable (boost::shared_ptr<PBD::Controllable>());
 		return -1;
 	}