diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/session_dialog.cc b/gtk2_ardour/session_dialog.cc
index 145451677f..cc587b2da2 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/session_dialog.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/session_dialog.cc
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ SessionDialog::SessionDialog (bool require_new, const std::string& session_name,
 	if (recent_session_model) {
 		int cnt = redisplay_recent_sessions ();
 		if (cnt > 0) {
+			recent_scroller.set_size_request (-1, 80);
 			recent_scroller.show();
 			recent_label.show ();
 
@@ -177,6 +178,8 @@ SessionDialog::SessionDialog ()
 
 	get_vbox()->pack_start (recent_scroller, true, true);
 	get_vbox()->show_all ();
+
+	recent_scroller.set_size_request (-1, 80);
 	recent_scroller.show();
 
 	int cnt = redisplay_recent_sessions ();