diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/properties.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/properties.h
index 076830da42..0d0f5f72f3 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/properties.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/properties.h
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ public:
 
 	/* VARIOUS */
 
-	void apply_changes (PropertyBase const * p) {
+	void apply_change (PropertyBase const * p) {
 		T v = dynamic_cast<const PropertyTemplate<T>* > (p)->val ();
 		if (v != _current) {
 			set (v);
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ public:
 		}
 	}
 
-	void apply_changes (PropertyBase const * p) {
+	void apply_change (PropertyBase const * p) {
 		*_current = *(dynamic_cast<SharedStatefulProperty const *> (p))->val ();
 	}
 
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/property_basics.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/property_basics.h
index 89b2efe3b7..da064c90a9 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/property_basics.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/property_basics.h
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ public:
 	virtual PropertyBase* clone () const = 0;
 
 	/** Set this property's current state from another */
-	virtual void apply_changes (PropertyBase const *) = 0;
+	virtual void apply_change (PropertyBase const *) = 0;
 
 	const gchar* property_name () const { return g_quark_to_string (_property_id); }
 	PropertyID   property_id () const   { return _property_id; }
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h
index f9efbf19ce..e1bcccdb5d 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ class /*LIBPBD_API*/ SequenceProperty : public PropertyBase
 		_changes.removed.clear ();
 	}
 
-	void apply_changes (PropertyBase const * p) {
+	void apply_change (PropertyBase const * p) {
 		const ChangeRecord& change (dynamic_cast<const SequenceProperty*> (p)->changes ());
 		update (change);
 	}
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/stateful.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/stateful.h
index 4041a06208..e474357c4f 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/stateful.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/stateful.h
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ class LIBPBD_API Stateful {
 	virtual XMLNode& get_state (void) = 0;
 	virtual int set_state (const XMLNode&, int version) = 0;
 
-	virtual bool apply_changes (PropertyBase const &);
+	virtual bool apply_change (PropertyBase const &);
 	PropertyChange apply_changes (PropertyList const &);
 
 	const OwnedPropertyList& properties() const { return *_properties; }
diff --git a/libs/pbd/stateful.cc b/libs/pbd/stateful.cc
index 5df44693ee..835c977a5e 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/stateful.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/stateful.cc
@@ -248,9 +248,13 @@ Stateful::apply_changes (const PropertyList& property_list)
 				string_compose ("actually setting property %1 using %2\n", p->second->property_name(), i->second->property_name())
 				);
 
-			if (apply_changes (*i->second)) {
+			if (apply_change (*i->second)) {
+				DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::Stateful, string_compose ("applying change succeeded, add %1 to change list\n", p->second->property_name()));
 				c.add (i->first);
+			} else {
+				DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::Stateful, string_compose ("applying change failed for %1\n", p->second->property_name()));
 			}
+
 		} else {
 			DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::Stateful, string_compose ("passed in property %1 not found in own property list\n",
 			                                              i->second->property_name()));
@@ -341,14 +345,14 @@ Stateful::changed() const
 }
 
 bool
-Stateful::apply_changes (const PropertyBase& prop)
+Stateful::apply_change (const PropertyBase& prop)
 {
 	OwnedPropertyList::iterator i = _properties->find (prop.property_id());
 	if (i == _properties->end()) {
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	i->second->apply_changes (&prop);
+	i->second->apply_change (&prop);
 	return true;
 }