diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index 66c66bebcd..2cb9a5605b 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -1254,7 +1254,7 @@ Editor::set_session (Session *t)
 	/* Cannot initialize in constructor, because pianoroll needs Actions */
 	if (!_pianoroll) {
 		// XXX this should really not happen here
-		_pianoroll = new Pianoroll ("editor pianoroll");
+		_pianoroll = new Pianoroll ("editor pianoroll", true);
 		_pianoroll->viewport().set_size_request (-1, 120);
 	}
 	_pianoroll->set_session (_session);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
index 03e463fece..9c524f3cb6 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ using namespace ArdourWidgets;
 using namespace Gtkmm2ext;
 using namespace Temporal;
 
-Pianoroll::Pianoroll (std::string const & name)
+Pianoroll::Pianoroll (std::string const & name, bool with_transport)
 	: CueEditor (name)
 	, timebar_height (15.)
 	, n_timebars (3)
@@ -77,7 +77,10 @@ Pianoroll::Pianoroll (std::string const & name)
 	, bar_spinner (bar_adjustment)
 	, length_label (X_("Record (Bars):"))
 	, ignore_channel_changes (false)
+	, with_transport_controls (with_transport)
 {
+	std::cerr << "NPR wt " << with_transport << std::endl;
+	PBD::stacktrace (std::cerr, 13);
 	mouse_mode = Editing::MouseContent;
 	autoscroll_vertical_allowed = false;
 
@@ -386,26 +389,28 @@ Pianoroll::build_upper_toolbar ()
 	note_mode_button.set_size_request (PX_SCALE(50), -1);
 	note_mode_button.set_active_color (UIConfiguration::instance().color ("alert:yellow"));
 
+	if (with_transport_controls) {
+		play_button.set_icon (ArdourIcon::TransportPlay);
+		play_button.set_name ("transport button");
+		loop_button.set_icon (ArdourIcon::TransportLoop);
+		loop_button.set_name ("transport button");
 
-	play_button.set_icon (ArdourIcon::TransportPlay);
-	play_button.set_name ("transport button");
-	loop_button.set_icon (ArdourIcon::TransportLoop);
-	loop_button.set_name ("transport button");
+		solo_button.set_name ("solo button");
 
-	solo_button.set_name ("solo button");
+		play_box.set_spacing (8);
+		play_box.pack_start (play_button, false, false);
+		play_box.pack_start (loop_button, false, false);
+		play_box.pack_start (solo_button, false, false);
+		play_button.show();
+		loop_button.show();
+		solo_button.show();
+		play_box.set_no_show_all (true);
+		play_box.show ();
 
-	play_box.set_spacing (8);
-	play_box.pack_start (play_button, false, false);
-	play_box.pack_start (loop_button, false, false);
-	play_box.pack_start (solo_button, false, false);
-	play_button.show();
-	loop_button.show();
-	solo_button.show();
-	play_box.set_no_show_all (true);
-	play_box.show ();
-	play_button.signal_button_release_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Pianoroll::play_button_press), false);
-	solo_button.signal_button_release_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Pianoroll::solo_button_press), false);
-	loop_button.signal_button_release_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Pianoroll::loop_button_press), false);
+		play_button.signal_button_release_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Pianoroll::play_button_press), false);
+		solo_button.signal_button_release_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Pianoroll::solo_button_press), false);
+		loop_button.signal_button_release_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Pianoroll::loop_button_press), false);
+	}
 
 	rec_enable_button.set_icon (ArdourIcon::RecButton);
 	rec_enable_button.set_sensitive (false);
@@ -424,7 +429,9 @@ Pianoroll::build_upper_toolbar ()
 
 	_toolbar_outer->set_border_width (6);
 	_toolbar_outer->set_spacing (12);
-	_toolbar_outer->pack_start (play_box, false, false);
+	if (with_transport_controls) {
+		_toolbar_outer->pack_start (play_box, false, false);
+	}
 	_toolbar_outer->pack_start (rec_box, false, false);
 	_toolbar_outer->pack_start (visible_channel_label, false, false);
 	_toolbar_outer->pack_start (visible_channel_selector, false, false);
@@ -2732,13 +2739,15 @@ Pianoroll::set_session (ARDOUR::Session* s)
 {
 	CueEditor::set_session (s);
 
-	if (_session) {
-		_session->TransportStateChange.connect (_session_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, std::bind (&Pianoroll::map_transport_state, this), gui_context());
-	} else {
-		_session_connections.drop_connections();
-	}
+	if (with_transport_controls) {
+		if (_session) {
+			_session->TransportStateChange.connect (_session_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, std::bind (&Pianoroll::map_transport_state, this), gui_context());
+		} else {
+			_session_connections.drop_connections();
+		}
 
-	map_transport_state ();
+		map_transport_state ();
+	}
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
index 1b525fc28b..81785bf49c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class CueMidiBackground;
 class Pianoroll : public CueEditor
 {
   public:
-	Pianoroll (std::string const & name);
+	Pianoroll (std::string const & name, bool with_transport_controls = false);
 	~Pianoroll ();
 
 	ArdourCanvas::Container* get_trackview_group () const { return data_group; }
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ class Pianoroll : public CueEditor
 	bool ignore_channel_changes;
 	void visible_channel_changed ();
 
+	bool with_transport_controls;
 	void update_solo_display ();
 	void map_transport_state ();
 };
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_window.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_window.cc
index 45ee60ecbb..b29ac96c99 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_window.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_window.cc
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ using namespace ARDOUR;
 
 PianorollWindow::PianorollWindow (std::string const & name, Session& s)
 	: ArdourWindow (string_compose ("%1 - %2", PROGRAM_NAME, name))
-	, pianoroll (new Pianoroll (name))
+	, pianoroll (new Pianoroll (name, true))
 	, region_editor (nullptr)
 {
 	pianoroll->set_session (&s);