diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/cue_editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/cue_editor.cc
index f1ce559e2e..474414d801 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/cue_editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/cue_editor.cc
@@ -179,11 +179,13 @@ CueEditor::get_current_zoom () const
 void
 CueEditor::reposition_and_zoom (samplepos_t pos, double spp)
 {
-	set_samples_per_pixel (spp);
+	pending_visual_change.add (VisualChange::ZoomLevel);
+	pending_visual_change.samples_per_pixel = spp;
 
-	horizontal_adjustment.set_value (sample_to_pixel (pos));
-	/* correct rounding errors */
-	_leftmost_sample = pos;
+	pending_visual_change.add (VisualChange::TimeOrigin);
+	pending_visual_change.time_origin = pos;
+
+	ensure_visual_change_idle_handler ();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.cc
index 135a375231..3109cfc576 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.cc
@@ -2038,7 +2038,6 @@ EditingContext::set_horizontal_position (double p)
 	p = std::max (0., p);
 
 	horizontal_adjustment.set_value (p);
-
 	_leftmost_sample = (samplepos_t) floor (p * samples_per_pixel);
 }
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h b/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h
index 7bffb20403..20cb4911df 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h
@@ -325,7 +325,6 @@ class EditingContext : public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr, public AxisViewProvider,
 	void reset_zoom (samplecnt_t);
 	virtual double max_extents_scale() const { return 1.0; }
 	virtual void set_samples_per_pixel (samplecnt_t) = 0;
-	virtual void on_samples_per_pixel_changed () {}
 
 	virtual void cycle_zoom_focus ();
 	virtual void set_zoom_focus (Editing::ZoomFocus) = 0;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index 4ea34a1de1..bfeb2890a3 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -3815,10 +3815,15 @@ Editor::get_y_origin () const
 
 
 void
-Editor::reposition_and_zoom (samplepos_t sample, double fpu)
+Editor::reposition_and_zoom (samplepos_t pos, double spp)
 {
-	reset_x_origin (sample);
-	reset_zoom (fpu);
+	pending_visual_change.add (VisualChange::ZoomLevel);
+	pending_visual_change.samples_per_pixel = spp;
+
+	pending_visual_change.add (VisualChange::TimeOrigin);
+	pending_visual_change.time_origin = pos;
+
+	ensure_visual_change_idle_handler ();
 
 	if (!no_save_visual) {
 		undo_visual_stack.push_back (current_visual_state(false));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
index f5980c8328..34755e2bc4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
@@ -343,6 +343,7 @@ MidiView::set_region (std::shared_ptr<MidiRegion> mr)
 	_midi_region = mr;
 
 	if (!_midi_region) {
+		std::cerr << "region cleared\n";
 		region_going_away ();
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
index 8742726290..525ac495e1 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
@@ -850,9 +850,7 @@ Pianoroll::set_samples_per_pixel (samplecnt_t spp)
 		view->set_samples_per_pixel (spp);
 	}
 
-	bbt_ruler->set_range (0, current_page_samples());
-	compute_bbt_ruler_scale (0, current_page_samples());
-	bbt_metric.units_per_pixel = spp;
+	update_tempo_based_rulers ();
 
 	horizontal_adjustment.set_upper (max_zoom_extent().second.samples() / samples_per_pixel);
 	horizontal_adjustment.set_page_size (current_page_samples()/ samples_per_pixel / 10);
@@ -1962,6 +1960,7 @@ Pianoroll::visual_changer (const VisualChange& vc)
 	if (vc.pending & VisualChange::TimeOrigin) {
 		double new_time_origin = sample_to_pixel_unrounded (vc.time_origin);
 		set_horizontal_position (new_time_origin);
+		update_tempo_based_rulers ();
 	}
 
 	if (vc.pending & VisualChange::YOrigin) {
@@ -1969,7 +1968,9 @@ Pianoroll::visual_changer (const VisualChange& vc)
 	}
 
 	if (vc.pending & VisualChange::ZoomLevel) {
-		on_samples_per_pixel_changed ();
+		if (!(vc.pending & VisualChange::TimeOrigin)) {
+			update_tempo_based_rulers ();
+		}
 	} else {
 		/* If the canvas is not being zoomed then the canvas items will not change
 		 * and cause Item::prepare_for_render to be called so do it here manually.
@@ -1985,12 +1986,6 @@ Pianoroll::visual_changer (const VisualChange& vc)
 	}
 }
 
-void
-Pianoroll::on_samples_per_pixel_changed ()
-{
-	update_tempo_based_rulers ();
-}
-
 void
 Pianoroll::midi_action (void (MidiView::*method)())
 {
@@ -2561,6 +2556,7 @@ Pianoroll::set_region (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::MidiRegion> r)
 	unset (false);
 
 	if (!r) {
+		view->set_region (nullptr);
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
index 8fce1cfcf1..7e3ea2c0b7 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
@@ -177,7 +177,6 @@ class Pianoroll : public CueEditor
 	void mouse_mode_toggled (Editing::MouseMode);
 
 	void escape ();
-	void on_samples_per_pixel_changed ();
 
  private:
 	ARDOUR::TriggerReference ref;