diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index 08c716d442..0b9359bae7 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -2970,8 +2970,8 @@ void
 Editor::begin_reversible_command (string name)
 {
 	if (session) {
-		UndoAction ua = get_memento();
-		session->begin_reversible_command (name, &ua);
+                before = get_state();
+		session->begin_reversible_command (name);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -2979,8 +2979,12 @@ void
 Editor::commit_reversible_command ()
 {
 	if (session) {
-		UndoAction ua = get_memento();
-		session->commit_reversible_command (&ua);
+                // yes, cmd lasts long enough to be copied onto the action
+                // list in the history, but this has the potential to be a
+                // problem if memory management of actions changes in
+                // UndoTransaction
+                MementoCommand<Editor> cmd(*this, before, get_state());
+		session->commit_reversible_command (&cmd);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
index e517b1eaf1..2ef475a5e4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
@@ -1608,6 +1608,7 @@ class Editor : public PublicEditor
 
 	UndoAction get_memento() const;
 
+        XMLNode &before; /* used in *_reversible_command */
 	void begin_reversible_command (string cmd_name);
 	void commit_reversible_command ();
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
index 971e141363..ba12b79f48 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/session.h
@@ -841,8 +841,8 @@ class Session : public sigc::trackable, public Stateful
 	string next_undo() const { return history.next_undo(); }
 	string next_redo() const { return history.next_redo(); }
 
-	void begin_reversible_command (string cmd_name, UndoAction *private_undo = 0);
-	void commit_reversible_command (UndoAction* private_redo = 0);
+	void begin_reversible_command (string cmd_name);
+	void commit_reversible_command (Command* cmd = 0);
 
 	void add_undo (const UndoAction& ua) {
 		current_trans.add_undo (ua);
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index 92a21ea794..deda3363ab 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -2564,23 +2564,19 @@ Session::set_meter_falloff (float val)
 
 
 void
-Session::begin_reversible_command (string name, UndoAction* private_undo)
+Session::begin_reversible_command (string name)
 {
 	current_trans.clear ();
 	current_trans.set_name (name);
-
-	if (private_undo) {
-		current_trans.add_undo (*private_undo);
-	}
 }
 
 void
-Session::commit_reversible_command (UndoAction* private_redo)
+Session::commit_reversible_command (Command *cmd)
 {
 	struct timeval now;
 
-	if (private_redo) {
-		current_trans.add_redo_no_execute (*private_redo);
+	if (cmd) {
+		current_trans.add_command (*cmd);
 	}
 
 	gettimeofday (&now, 0);