diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/dispatcher.cc b/libs/surfaces/websockets/dispatcher.cc
index 16c7709076..e8f9da1355 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/dispatcher.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/dispatcher.cc
@@ -59,14 +59,12 @@ WebsocketsDispatcher::update_all_nodes (Client client)
 		uint32_t strip_id        = it->first;
 		ArdourMixerStrip& strip = it->second;
 
-		bool is_vca = strip.stripable ()->presentation_info ().flags () & ARDOUR::PresentationInfo::VCA;
-
 		AddressVector strip_addr = AddressVector ();
 		strip_addr.push_back (strip_id);
 		
 		ValueVector strip_desc = ValueVector ();
 		strip_desc.push_back (strip.name ());
-		strip_desc.push_back (is_vca);
+		strip_desc.push_back (strip.is_vca ());
 		
 		update (client, Node::strip_description, strip_addr, strip_desc);
 		
@@ -74,12 +72,7 @@ WebsocketsDispatcher::update_all_nodes (Client client)
 		update (client, Node::strip_mute, strip_id, strip.mute ());
 
 		// Pan and plugins not available in VCAs
-		if (is_vca) {
-			continue;
-		}
-
-		boost::shared_ptr<Route> route = boost::dynamic_pointer_cast<Route> (strip.stripable ());
-		if (!route) {
+		if (strip.is_vca ()) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.cc b/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.cc
index 7e54d67c67..a6ae3faf9a 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.cc
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ ArdourMixerStrip::ArdourMixerStrip (boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Stripable> stripab
 	: _stripable (stripable)
 	, _connections (boost::shared_ptr<PBD::ScopedConnectionList> (new PBD::ScopedConnectionList()))
 {
-	if (_stripable->presentation_info ().flags () & ARDOUR::PresentationInfo::VCA) {
+	if (is_vca ()) {
 		/* no plugins to handle */
 		return;
 	}
@@ -238,6 +238,12 @@ ArdourMixerStrip::set_mute (bool mute)
 	_stripable->mute_control ()->set_value (mute ? 1.0 : 0.0, PBD::Controllable::NoGroup);
 }
 
+bool
+ArdourMixerStrip::is_vca () const
+{
+	return _stripable->presentation_info ().flags () & ARDOUR::PresentationInfo::VCA;
+}
+
 float
 ArdourMixerStrip::meter_level_db () const
 {
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.h b/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.h
index fd3f1d3f3a..2c2410328d 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.h
+++ b/libs/surfaces/websockets/mixer.h
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ public:
 	bool mute () const;
 	void set_mute (bool);
 
+	bool is_vca () const;
+
 	std::string name () const;
 
 	float meter_level_db () const;