diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/global_port_matrix.cc b/gtk2_ardour/global_port_matrix.cc
index 0f107452a5..c303e3ce72 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/global_port_matrix.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/global_port_matrix.cc
@@ -69,9 +69,14 @@ GlobalPortMatrix::set_state (ARDOUR::BundleChannel c[2], bool s)
 				} else {
 					q->disconnect (*i);
 				}
+			} else {
+				/* two non-Ardour ports */
+				if (s) {
+					jack_connect (_session.engine().jack (), j->c_str(), i->c_str());
+				} else {
+					jack_disconnect (_session.engine().jack (), j->c_str(), i->c_str());
+				}
 			}
-
-			/* we don't handle connections between two non-Ardour ports */
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -84,7 +89,7 @@ GlobalPortMatrix::get_state (ARDOUR::BundleChannel c[2]) const
 	if (in_ports.empty() || out_ports.empty()) {
 		/* we're looking at a bundle with no parts associated with this channel,
 		   so nothing to connect */
-		return PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN;
+		return PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED;
 	}
 
 	for (ARDOUR::Bundle::PortList::const_iterator i = in_ports.begin(); i != in_ports.end(); ++i) {
@@ -93,9 +98,31 @@ GlobalPortMatrix::get_state (ARDOUR::BundleChannel c[2]) const
 			ARDOUR::Port* p = _session.engine().get_port_by_name (*i);
 			ARDOUR::Port* q = _session.engine().get_port_by_name (*j);
 
-			/* we don't know the state of connections between two non-Ardour ports */
 			if (!p && !q) {
-				return PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN;
+				/* two non-Ardour ports; things are slightly more involved */
+				/* XXX: is this the easiest way to do this? */
+				/* XXX: isn't this very inefficient? */
+
+				jack_client_t* jack = _session.engine().jack ();
+				jack_port_t* jp = jack_port_by_name (jack, i->c_str());
+				if (jp == 0) {
+					return PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED;
+				}
+				
+				char const ** c = jack_port_get_all_connections (jack, jp);
+
+				char const ** p = c;
+				
+				while (p && *p != 0) {
+					if (strcmp (*p, j->c_str()) == 0) {
+						free (c);
+						return PortMatrixNode::ASSOCIATED;
+					}
+					++p;
+				}
+
+				free (c);
+				return PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED;
 			}
 
 			if (p && p->connected_to (*j) == false) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/io_selector.cc b/gtk2_ardour/io_selector.cc
index 68cd1c8408..a689fc666e 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/io_selector.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/io_selector.cc
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ IOSelector::get_state (ARDOUR::BundleChannel c[2]) const
 	if (our_ports.empty() || other_ports.empty()) {
 		/* we're looking at a bundle with no parts associated with this channel,
 		   so nothing to connect */
-		return PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN;
+		return PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED;
 	}
 
 	for (ARDOUR::Bundle::PortList::const_iterator i = our_ports.begin(); i != our_ports.end(); ++i) {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.cc b/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.cc
index 543efa91ca..b6be4165a9 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.cc
@@ -166,9 +166,6 @@ PortMatrixGrid::render_group_pair (cairo_t* cr, boost::shared_ptr<const PortGrou
 										   ARDOUR::BundleChannel (j->bundle, 0)
 										   ));
 				switch (s) {
-				case PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN:
-					draw_unknown_indicator (cr, bx, by);
-					break;
 				case PortMatrixNode::ASSOCIATED:
 					draw_association_indicator (cr, bx, by);
 					break;
@@ -210,10 +207,6 @@ PortMatrixGrid::render_group_pair (cairo_t* cr, boost::shared_ptr<const PortGrou
 							draw_association_indicator (cr, tx, ty);
 							break;
 
-						case PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN:
-							draw_unknown_indicator (cr, tx, ty);
-							break;
-
 						case PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED:
 							break;
 
@@ -266,20 +259,6 @@ PortMatrixGrid::draw_empty_square (cairo_t* cr, uint32_t x, uint32_t y)
 	cairo_fill (cr);
 }
 
-void
-PortMatrixGrid::draw_unknown_indicator (cairo_t* cr, uint32_t x, uint32_t y)
-{
-	set_source_rgba (cr, unknown_colour(), 0.5);
-	cairo_rectangle (
-		cr,
-		x + thick_grid_line_width(),
-		y + thick_grid_line_width(),
-		grid_spacing() - 2 * thick_grid_line_width(),
-		grid_spacing() - 2 * thick_grid_line_width()
-		);
-	cairo_fill (cr);
-}
-
 PortMatrixNode
 PortMatrixGrid::position_to_node (uint32_t x, uint32_t y) const
 {
@@ -340,10 +319,6 @@ PortMatrixGrid::get_association (PortMatrixNode node) const
 					}
 					break;
 
-				case PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN:
-					have_unknown = true;
-					break;
-
 				case PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED:
 					if (i == j) {
 						have_diagonal_not_association = true;
@@ -356,9 +331,7 @@ PortMatrixGrid::get_association (PortMatrixNode node) const
 			}
 		}
 
-		if (have_unknown) {
-			return PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN;
-		} else if (have_diagonal_association && !have_off_diagonal_association && !have_diagonal_not_association) {
+		if (have_diagonal_association && !have_off_diagonal_association && !have_diagonal_not_association) {
 			return PortMatrixNode::ASSOCIATED;
 		} else if (!have_diagonal_association && !have_off_diagonal_association) {
 			return PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED;
@@ -375,7 +348,8 @@ PortMatrixGrid::get_association (PortMatrixNode node) const
 
 	}
 
-	return PortMatrixNode::UNKNOWN;
+	/* NOTREACHED */
+	return PortMatrixNode::NOT_ASSOCIATED;
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.h b/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.h
index 7172b82699..be4083c59a 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_grid.h
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ private:
 	void queue_draw_for (PortMatrixNode const &);
 	void draw_association_indicator (cairo_t *, uint32_t, uint32_t, double p = 1);
 	void draw_empty_square (cairo_t *, uint32_t, uint32_t);
-	void draw_unknown_indicator (cairo_t *, uint32_t, uint32_t);
 	std::list<PortMatrixNode> nodes_on_line (int, int, int, int) const;
 	PortMatrixNode::State get_association (PortMatrixNode) const;
 	void set_association (PortMatrixNode, bool);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_types.h b/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_types.h
index f36821cd90..15c40713b0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_types.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/port_matrix_types.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ struct PortMatrixNode
 	enum State {
 		ASSOCIATED,     ///< the ports are associated
 		NOT_ASSOCIATED, ///< the ports are not associated
-		UNKNOWN,        ///< we don't know anything about these two ports' relationship
 		PARTIAL         ///< used when we are examining bundles; the bundles are partially associated
 	};
 };