diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/hit.cc b/gtk2_ardour/hit.cc
index 7f2a32af5e..da6fcece21 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/hit.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/hit.cc
@@ -40,9 +40,7 @@ Hit::Hit (MidiView& region, Item* parent, double size, const std::shared_ptr<Not
 
 Hit::~Hit ()
 {
-	/* do not delete the visual note here, because that will be handled by
-	 * the parent
-	 */
+	delete _polygon;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
index f6f257a1f0..54a22bf419 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view.cc
@@ -876,12 +876,13 @@ MidiView::clear_events ()
 	// clear selection without signaling or trying to change state of event objects
 	_selection.clear ();
 	clear_ghost_events ();
-	/* This will delete all the _visual_note members of the NoteBase* elements in the _events map */
-	_note_group->clear (true);
-	/* The above did not actually delete the the NoteBase* elements, so do that now  */
 	for (auto & [model_note,gui_note] : _events) {
 		delete gui_note;
 	}
+	/* This will delete any danging canvas items that were not owned by the
+	 * NoteBase objects we just deleted.
+	 */
+	_note_group->clear (true);
 	_events.clear();
 	_patch_changes.clear();
 	_sys_exes.clear();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/note.cc b/gtk2_ardour/note.cc
index 2fcf37f763..7ccba8b808 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/note.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/note.cc
@@ -39,9 +39,7 @@ Note::Note (MidiView& region, ArdourCanvas::Item* parent, const std::shared_ptr<
 
 Note::~Note ()
 {
-	/* do not delete the canvas item here, because that will be handled by
-	 * the parent
-	 */
+	delete _visual_note;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/note_base.cc b/gtk2_ardour/note_base.cc
index deb9c2527e..4a5d7e6f04 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/note_base.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/note_base.cc
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ NoteBase::NoteBase(MidiView& v, bool with_events, const std::shared_ptr<NoteType
 NoteBase::~NoteBase()
 {
 	_view.note_deleted (this);
-	/* do not delete _text, parent will do so */
+	delete _text;
 }
 
 void