diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/ardour.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/ardour.h
index cab4601d07..e900577ea1 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/ardour.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/ardour.h
@@ -88,13 +88,14 @@ namespace ARDOUR {
 	static const double SHUTTLE_FRACT_SPEED1=0.48412291827; /* derived from A1,A2 */
 
 	void setup_fpu ();
+
+	extern MIDI::Port* default_mmc_port;
+	extern MIDI::Port* default_mtc_port;
+	extern MIDI::Port* default_midi_port;
+	
+	int setup_midi();
 }
 
-/* how do we make these be within the Ardour namespace? */
-
-extern MIDI::Port* default_mmc_port;
-extern MIDI::Port* default_mtc_port;
-extern MIDI::Port* default_midi_port;
 
 #endif /* __ardour_ardour_h__ */
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/globals.cc b/libs/ardour/globals.cc
index 916f4cd38e..08b87bdd36 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/globals.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/globals.cc
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ using namespace ARDOUR;
 using namespace std;
 using namespace PBD;
 
-MIDI::Port *default_mmc_port = 0;
-MIDI::Port *default_mtc_port = 0;
-MIDI::Port *default_midi_port = 0;
+MIDI::Port *ARDOUR::default_mmc_port = 0;
+MIDI::Port *ARDOUR::default_mtc_port = 0;
+MIDI::Port *ARDOUR::default_midi_port = 0;
 
 Change ARDOUR::StartChanged = ARDOUR::new_change ();
 Change ARDOUR::LengthChanged = ARDOUR::new_change ();
@@ -121,8 +121,8 @@ setup_osc ()
 }
 #endif
 
-static int 
-setup_midi ()
+int
+ARDOUR::setup_midi ()
 {
 	if (Config->midi_ports.size() == 0) {
 		warning << _("no MIDI ports specified: no MMC or MTC control possible") << endmsg;
@@ -186,16 +186,17 @@ setup_midi ()
 			<< endmsg;
 		return 0;
 	} 
+ 
 
 	if (default_mtc_port == 0) {
 		warning << string_compose (_("No MTC support (MIDI port \"%1\" not available)"), Config->get_mtc_port_name()) 
 			<< endmsg;
-	}
+	} 
 
 	if (default_midi_port == 0) {
 		warning << string_compose (_("No MIDI parameter support (MIDI port \"%1\" not available)"), Config->get_midi_port_name()) 
 			<< endmsg;
-	}
+	} 
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_midi.cc b/libs/ardour/session_midi.cc
index 5b1b9060d4..2f090ec4eb 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_midi.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_midi.cc
@@ -1187,6 +1187,7 @@ Session::midi_thread_work ()
 			pfd[nfds].fd = _mmc_port->selectable();
 			pfd[nfds].events = POLLIN|POLLHUP|POLLERR;
 			ports[nfds] = _mmc_port;
+			//cerr << "MIDI port " << nfds << " = MMC @ " << _mmc_port << endl;
 			nfds++;
 		}
 
@@ -1199,6 +1200,7 @@ Session::midi_thread_work ()
 			pfd[nfds].fd = _mtc_port->selectable();
 			pfd[nfds].events = POLLIN|POLLHUP|POLLERR;
 			ports[nfds] = _mtc_port;
+			//cerr << "MIDI port " << nfds << " = MTC @ " << _mtc_port << endl;
 			nfds++;
 		}
 
@@ -1206,6 +1208,7 @@ Session::midi_thread_work ()
 			pfd[nfds].fd = _midi_port->selectable();
 			pfd[nfds].events = POLLIN|POLLHUP|POLLERR;
 			ports[nfds] = _midi_port;
+			// cerr << "MIDI port " << nfds << " = MIDI @ " << _midi_port << endl;
 			nfds++;
 		}
 		
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index f14eaaefcb..e1ed93918a 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -859,6 +859,12 @@ Session::load_options (const XMLNode& node)
 
 	Config->set_variables (node, ConfigVariableBase::Session);
 
+	/* now reset MIDI ports because the session can have its own 
+	   MIDI configuration.
+	*/
+
+	setup_midi ();
+
 	if ((child = find_named_node (node, "end-marker-is-free")) != 0) {
 		if ((prop = child->property ("val")) != 0) {
 			_end_location_is_free = (prop->value() == "yes");
@@ -1188,10 +1194,10 @@ Session::set_state (const XMLNode& node)
 
 	/* Object loading order:
 
-	MIDI
 	Path
 	extra
 	Options/Config
+	MIDI  <= relies on data from Options/Config
 	Locations
 	Sources
 	AudioRegions
@@ -1204,9 +1210,6 @@ Session::set_state (const XMLNode& node)
 	ControlProtocols
 	*/
 
-	if (use_config_midi_ports ()) {
-	}
-
 	if ((child = find_named_node (node, "extra")) != 0) {
 		_extra_xml = new XMLNode (*child);
 	}
@@ -1219,6 +1222,9 @@ Session::set_state (const XMLNode& node)
 		error << _("Session: XML state has no options section") << endmsg;
 	}
 
+	if (use_config_midi_ports ()) {
+	}
+
 	if ((child = find_named_node (node, "Locations")) == 0) {
 		error << _("Session: XML state has no locations section") << endmsg;
 		goto out;