diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_audio_import.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_audio_import.cc
index e21d2efe3e..c2351c74fc 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_audio_import.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_audio_import.cc
@@ -447,11 +447,17 @@ Editor::do_embed (vector<string> paths, ImportDisposition chns, ImportMode mode,
 	vector<string> to_embed;
 	bool multi = paths.size() > 1;
 	int nth = 0;
+	bool use_timestamp = (pos == -1);
 
 	switch (chns) {
 	case Editing::ImportDistinctFiles:
 		for (vector<string>::iterator a = paths.begin(); a != paths.end(); ++a) {
 
+			/* have to reset this for every file we handle */
+			if (use_timestamp) {
+				pos = -1;
+			}
+
 			to_embed.clear ();
 			to_embed.push_back (*a);
 
@@ -468,6 +474,11 @@ Editor::do_embed (vector<string> paths, ImportDisposition chns, ImportMode mode,
 	case Editing::ImportDistinctChannels:
 		for (vector<string>::iterator a = paths.begin(); a != paths.end(); ++a) {
 
+			/* have to reset this for every file we handle */
+			if (use_timestamp) {
+				pos = -1;
+			}
+
 			to_embed.clear ();
 			to_embed.push_back (*a);
 
@@ -486,6 +497,11 @@ Editor::do_embed (vector<string> paths, ImportDisposition chns, ImportMode mode,
 	case Editing::ImportSerializeFiles:
 		for (vector<string>::iterator a = paths.begin(); a != paths.end(); ++a) {
 
+			/* have to reset this for every file we handle */
+			if (use_timestamp) {
+				pos = -1;
+			}
+
 			to_embed.clear ();
 			to_embed.push_back (*a);