diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h b/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h
index 0c5e7471c7..d3a7aef102 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editing_context.h
@@ -481,6 +481,7 @@ class EditingContext : public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr, public AxisViewProvider,
 	void set_loop_range (Temporal::timepos_t const & start, Temporal::timepos_t const & end, std::string cmd);
 
 	virtual bool allow_trim_cursors () const;
+	virtual void make_a_region() {}
 
   protected:
 	std::string _name;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
index cc6c9353ca..87bcff169c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_drag.cc
@@ -6853,6 +6853,11 @@ NoteCreateDrag::finished (GdkEvent* ev, bool had_movement)
 
 	Beats start;
 
+	if (!_midi_view->midi_region()) {
+		editing_context.make_a_region ();
+		assert (_midi_view->midi_region());
+	}
+
 	if (_midi_view->show_source()) {
 		Beats spos = _midi_view->midi_region()->source_position().beats() + min (_note[0], _note[1]).beats();
 		start = _midi_view->midi_region ()->absolute_time_to_source_beats (timepos_t (spos));
@@ -6914,6 +6919,11 @@ HitCreateDrag::finished (GdkEvent* event, bool had_movement)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if (!_midi_view->midi_region()) {
+		editing_context.make_a_region ();
+		assert (_midi_view->midi_region());
+	}
+
 	std::shared_ptr<MidiRegion> mr = _midi_view->midi_region ();
 
 	timepos_t pos (_drags->current_pointer_time ());
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
index 3236a6804c..fcae8e834f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
@@ -2451,35 +2451,41 @@ Pianoroll::set (TriggerReference & tref)
 
 	std::shared_ptr<MidiRegion> mr;
 
-	if (!ref.trigger()->the_region()) {
-
-		std::shared_ptr<MidiSource> new_source = _session->create_midi_source_for_session (_track->name());
-		SourceList sources;
-		sources.push_back (new_source);
-
-		PropertyList plist;
-		plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::start, timepos_t (Temporal::Beats ()));
-		plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::length, timepos_t (Temporal::Beats::beats (32)));
-		plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::name, new_source->name());
-		plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::whole_file, true);
-
-		mr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiRegion> (RegionFactory::create (sources, plist, true));
-
-		plist.remove (ARDOUR::Properties::whole_file);
-		mr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiRegion> (RegionFactory::create (mr, timecnt_t::zero (Temporal::BeatTime), plist, true));
-
-		ref.trigger()->set_region (mr);
-	} else {
-		mr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiRegion> (ref.trigger()->the_region());
-	}
-
-	if (mr) {
-		set_region (mr);
+	if (ref.trigger()->the_region()) {
+		std::shared_ptr<MidiRegion> mr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiRegion> (ref.trigger()->the_region());
+		if (mr) {
+			set_region (mr);
+		}
 	}
 
 	_update_connection = Timers::rapid_connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &Pianoroll::maybe_update));
 }
 
+void
+Pianoroll::make_a_region ()
+{
+	std::shared_ptr<MidiSource> new_source = _session->create_midi_source_for_session (_track->name());
+	SourceList sources;
+	sources.push_back (new_source);
+
+	PropertyList plist;
+	plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::start, timepos_t (Temporal::Beats ()));
+	plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::length, timepos_t (Temporal::Beats::beats (32)));
+	plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::name, new_source->name());
+	plist.add (ARDOUR::Properties::whole_file, true);
+
+	std::shared_ptr<MidiRegion> mr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiRegion> (RegionFactory::create (sources, plist, true));
+
+	plist.remove (ARDOUR::Properties::whole_file);
+	mr = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MidiRegion> (RegionFactory::create (mr, timecnt_t::zero (Temporal::BeatTime), plist, true));
+
+	if (ref.trigger()) {
+		ref.trigger()->set_region (mr);
+	}
+
+	set_region (mr);
+}
+
 void
 Pianoroll::unset ()
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
index b3aa7af092..9197fb6472 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ class Pianoroll : public CueEditor
 	bool allow_trim_cursors () const;
 
 	void shift_midi (Temporal::timepos_t const &, bool model);
+	void make_a_region();
 
   protected:
 	void load_bindings ();