diff --git a/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h b/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
index 0080fedc36..8fdec60e9c 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
+++ b/libs/ardour/ardour/directory_names.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ extern const char* const interchange_dir_name;
 extern const char* const peak_dir_name;
 extern const char* const export_dir_name;
 extern const char* const templates_dir_name;
+extern const char* const surfaces_dir_name;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc b/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
index 538188d457..d78d32f740 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/directory_names.cc
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@ const char* const dead_sound_dir_name = X_("dead_sounds");
 const char* const interchange_dir_name = X_("interchange");
 const char* const export_dir_name = X_("export");
 const char* const templates_dir_name = X_("templates");
+const char* const surfaces_dir_name = X_("surfaces");
 
 }
diff --git a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
index a182b2af6e..59ede7d8ff 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/session_state.cc
@@ -2114,7 +2114,7 @@ Session::template_path ()
 string
 Session::control_protocol_path ()
 {
-	return suffixed_search_path (X_("surfaces"), false);
+	return suffixed_search_path (surfaces_dir_name, false);
 }
 
 int