diff --git a/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.cc b/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.cc
index 12707ac577..4ecc71f74a 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.cc
@@ -793,6 +793,30 @@ FaderPort::Button::set_action (string const& name, bool when_pressed, FaderPort:
 	}
 }
 
+string
+FaderPort::Button::get_action (bool press, FaderPort::ButtonState bs)
+{
+	ToDoMap::iterator x;
+
+	if (press) {
+		if ((x = on_press.find (bs)) == on_press.end()) {
+			return string();
+		}
+		if (x->second.type != NamedAction) {
+			return string ();
+		}
+		return x->second.action_name;
+	} else {
+		if ((x = on_release.find (bs)) == on_release.end()) {
+			return string();
+		}
+		if (x->second.type != NamedAction) {
+			return string ();
+		}
+		return x->second.action_name;
+	}
+}
+
 void
 FaderPort::Button::set_action (boost::function<void()> f, bool when_pressed, FaderPort::ButtonState bs)
 {
@@ -1107,3 +1131,9 @@ FaderPort::set_action (ButtonID id, std::string const& action_name, bool on_pres
 {
 	get_button(id).set_action (action_name, on_press, bs);
 }
+
+string
+FaderPort::get_action (ButtonID id, bool press, ButtonState bs)
+{
+	return get_button(id).get_action (press, bs);
+}
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.h b/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.h
index 0436e9e01e..2c08b9f847 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.h
+++ b/libs/surfaces/faderport/faderport.h
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ class FaderPort : public ARDOUR::ControlProtocol, public AbstractUI<FaderPortReq
 	};
 
 	void set_action (ButtonID, std::string const& action_name, bool on_press, FaderPort::ButtonState = ButtonState (0));
+	std::string get_action (ButtonID, bool on_press, FaderPort::ButtonState = ButtonState (0));
 
   private:
 	boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Route> _current_route;
@@ -221,6 +222,8 @@ class FaderPort : public ARDOUR::ControlProtocol, public AbstractUI<FaderPortReq
 
 		void set_action (std::string const& action_name, bool on_press, FaderPort::ButtonState = ButtonState (0));
 		void set_action (boost::function<void()> function, bool on_press, FaderPort::ButtonState = ButtonState (0));
+		std::string get_action (bool press, FaderPort::ButtonState bs = ButtonState (0));
+
 		void set_led_state (boost::shared_ptr<MIDI::Port>, int onoff, bool force = false);
 		void invoke (ButtonState bs, bool press);
 		bool uses_flash () const { return flash; }
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/faderport/gui.cc b/libs/surfaces/faderport/gui.cc
index 4dcf2920e9..e6be281c1a 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/faderport/gui.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/faderport/gui.cc
@@ -426,22 +426,37 @@ FPGUI::build_action_combo (Gtk::ComboBox& cb, vector<pair<string,string> > const
 	Glib::RefPtr<Gtk::ListStore> model (Gtk::ListStore::create (action_columns));
 	TreeIter rowp;
 	TreeModel::Row row;
+	string current_action = fp.get_action (id, true, bs);
+	int active_row = -1;
+	int n;
+	vector<pair<string,string> >::const_iterator i;
 
 	rowp = model->append();
 	row = *(rowp);
 	row[action_columns.name] = _("Disabled");
 	row[action_columns.path] = string();
 
-	for (vector<pair<string,string> >::const_iterator i = actions.begin(); i != actions.end(); ++i) {
+	if (current_action.empty()) {
+		active_row = 0;
+	}
+
+	for (i = actions.begin(), n = 0; i != actions.end(); ++i, ++n) {
 		rowp = model->append();
 		row = *(rowp);
 		row[action_columns.name] = i->first;
 		row[action_columns.path] = i->second;
+		if (current_action == i->second) {
+			active_row = n+1;
+		}
 	}
 
 	cb.set_model (model);
 	cb.pack_start (action_columns.name);
 
+	if (active_row >= 0) {
+		cb.set_active (active_row);
+	}
+
 	cb.signal_changed().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &FPGUI::action_changed), &cb, id));
 }