diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h
index b4843a1b03..377d834c1b 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/sequence_property.h
@@ -171,8 +171,8 @@ class /*LIBPBD_API*/ SequenceProperty : public PropertyBase
 			   with this diff().
 			*/
 
-			for (typename ChangeContainer::const_iterator i = a->changes().added.begin(); i != a->changes().added.end(); ++i) {
-				(*i)->DropReferences.connect_same_thread (*cmd, std::bind (&Destructible::drop_references, cmd));
+			for (auto const & change : a->changes().added) {
+				change->DropReferences.connect_same_thread (*cmd, std::bind (Destructible::drop_and_kill, cmd));
 			}
 		}
         }
diff --git a/libs/pbd/stateful_diff_command.cc b/libs/pbd/stateful_diff_command.cc
index 26292852bf..6e39e16d75 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/stateful_diff_command.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/stateful_diff_command.cc
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ StatefulDiffCommand::StatefulDiffCommand (std::shared_ptr<StatefulDestructible>
            be sure to notify owners of this command.
         */
 
-	s->DropReferences.connect_same_thread (*this, std::bind (&Destructible::drop_references, this));
+	if (!_changes || _changes->empty()) {
+		s->DropReferences.connect_same_thread (*this, std::bind (Destructible::drop_and_kill, this));
+	}
 }
 
 StatefulDiffCommand::StatefulDiffCommand (std::shared_ptr<StatefulDestructible> s, XMLNode const& n)
@@ -63,7 +65,9 @@ StatefulDiffCommand::StatefulDiffCommand (std::shared_ptr<StatefulDestructible>
            be sure to notify owners of this command.
         */
 
-	s->DropReferences.connect_same_thread (*this, std::bind (&Destructible::drop_references, this));
+	if (_changes->empty()) {
+		s->DropReferences.connect_same_thread (*this, std::bind (Destructible::drop_and_kill, this));
+	}
 }
 
 StatefulDiffCommand::~StatefulDiffCommand ()