diff --git a/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc b/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc
index 7ebc4ce5d6..4a370ba205 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/audioengine.cc
@@ -1451,11 +1451,11 @@ AudioEngine::thread_init_callback (void* arg)
 	   knows about it.
 	*/
 
-	pthread_set_name (X_("audioengine"));
-
 	const int thread_num = audioengine_thread_cnt.fetch_add (1);
 	const string thread_name = string_compose (X_("AudioEngine %1"), thread_num);
 
+	pthread_set_name (thread_name.c_str());
+
 	SessionEvent::create_per_thread_pool (thread_name, 512);
 	PBD::notify_event_loops_about_thread_creation (pthread_self(), thread_name, 4096);
 	AsyncMIDIPort::set_process_thread (pthread_self());