diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.cc b/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.cc
index 0362dad209..1c23871a55 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.cc
@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ PortExportChannelSelector::sync_with_manager ()
 	channel_view.set_config (state->config);
 }
 
+bool
+PortExportChannelSelector::channel_limit_reached () const
+{
+	return channel_view.max_route_channel_count () > channel_view.channel_count ();
+}
+
 void
 PortExportChannelSelector::fill_route_list ()
 {
@@ -457,6 +463,22 @@ PortExportChannelSelector::ChannelTreeView::update_selection_text (std::string c
 	update_config ();
 }
 
+uint32_t
+PortExportChannelSelector::ChannelTreeView::max_route_channel_count () const
+{
+	uint32_t rv = 0;
+	for (Gtk::ListStore::Children::const_iterator it = route_list->children().begin(); it != route_list->children().end(); ++it) {
+		Gtk::TreeModel::Row row = *it;
+		if (!row[route_cols.selected]) {
+			continue;
+		}
+		ARDOUR::IO* io = row[route_cols.io];
+		uint32_t outs = io->n_ports().n_audio();
+		rv = std::max (rv, outs);
+	}
+	return rv;
+}
+
 RegionExportChannelSelector::RegionExportChannelSelector (ARDOUR::Session * _session,
                                                           ProfileManagerPtr manager,
                                                           ARDOUR::AudioRegion const & region,
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.h b/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.h
index ed131576dd..1bcba291cc 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/export_channel_selector.h
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ public:
 	virtual ~ExportChannelSelector () {}
 
 	virtual void sync_with_manager () = 0;
+	virtual bool channel_limit_reached () const = 0;
 
 	sigc::signal<void> CriticalSelectionChanged;
 };
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ public:
 	~PortExportChannelSelector ();
 
 	void sync_with_manager ();
+	bool channel_limit_reached () const;
 
 private:
 
@@ -183,6 +185,8 @@ private:
 		void clear_routes () { route_list->clear (); }
 		void add_route (ARDOUR::IO * route);
 		void set_channel_count (uint32_t channels);
+		uint32_t channel_count () const { return n_channels; }
+		uint32_t max_route_channel_count () const;
 
 		sigc::signal<void> CriticalSelectionChanged;
 
@@ -220,6 +224,7 @@ public:
 	                             ARDOUR::AudioTrack & track);
 
 	virtual void sync_with_manager ();
+	bool channel_limit_reached () const { return false; }
 
 private:
 
@@ -250,6 +255,7 @@ class TrackExportChannelSelector : public ExportChannelSelector
 	virtual void sync_with_manager ();
 
 	bool track_output () const { return track_output_button.get_active(); }
+	bool channel_limit_reached () const { return false; }
 
   private:
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/export_dialog.cc b/gtk2_ardour/export_dialog.cc
index e4a40a6c99..58ece58a92 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/export_dialog.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/export_dialog.cc
@@ -274,6 +274,11 @@ ExportDialog::update_warnings_and_example_filename ()
 		add_warning (*it);
 	}
 
+	/* add channel count warning */
+	if (channel_selector && channel_selector->channel_limit_reached ()) {
+		add_warning (_("A track or bus has more channels than the target."));
+	}
+
 	if (!warnings->conflicting_filenames.empty()) {
 		list_files_hbox.show ();
 		for (std::list<string>::iterator it = warnings->conflicting_filenames.begin(); it != warnings->conflicting_filenames.end(); ++it) {