diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
index d8234a0b67..e70ab4fc5d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.cc
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@
 #include "ardour/utils.h"
 
 #include "canvas/debug.h"
+#include "canvas/scroll_group.h"
 #include "canvas/text.h"
 
 #include "control_protocol/control_protocol.h"
@@ -2580,6 +2581,18 @@ Editor::get_state ()
 	return *node;
 }
 
+/** Return true if coordinate given by (@param x, @param @y) is within what we define as the "track area". 
+ *  Return false otherwise.
+ *
+ * @param x : x-axis coordinate in canvas coordinate space
+ * @param y : x-axis coordinate in canvas coordinate space
+ */
+bool
+Editor::inside_track_area (double x, double y) const
+{
+	return hv_scroll_group->covers (ArdourCanvas::Duple (x, y));
+}
+
 /** if @param trackview_relative_offset is true, @param y y is an offset into the trackview area, in pixel units
  *  if @param trackview_relative_offset is false, @param y y is a global canvas *  coordinate, in pixel units
  *
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
index 6e50d87be2..6c3102e081 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor.h
@@ -485,6 +485,8 @@ class Editor : public PublicEditor, public PBD::ScopedConnectionList, public ARD
 
         ArdourCanvas::GtkCanvasViewport* get_track_canvas () const;
 
+	bool inside_track_area (double x, double y) const;
+	
         void override_visible_track_count ();
 
 	/* Ruler metrics methods */