diff --git a/libs/ardour/io.cc b/libs/ardour/io.cc
index 9066acac91..c9d3f6be08 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/io.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/io.cc
@@ -1221,7 +1221,8 @@ int
 IO::enable_connecting ()
 {
 	connecting_legal = true;
-	return *ConnectingLegal ();
+	boost::optional<int> r = ConnectingLegal ();
+	return r.get_value_or (0);
 }
 
 void