diff --git a/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc b/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc
index c9aa5b1807..3228761cc3 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/vst_plugin.cc
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "ardour/session.h"
 #include "ardour/filesystem_paths.h"
 #include "ardour/audio_buffer.h"
+#include "ardour/plugin_insert.h"
 
 #include "pbd/i18n.h"
 
@@ -464,7 +465,13 @@ VSTPlugin::load_plugin_preset (PresetRecord r)
 	sscanf (r.uri.c_str(), "VST:%d:%d", &id, &index);
 #endif
 	_state->want_program = index;
-	LoadPresetProgram (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */ /* used for macvst */
+	if (!has_editor () || 0 == plugin_insert ()->window_proxy ()) {
+		vststate_maybe_set_program (_state);
+		_state->want_chunk = 0;
+		_state->want_program = -1;
+	} else {
+		LoadPresetProgram (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */ /* used for macvst */
+	}
 	return true;
 }
 
@@ -506,7 +513,13 @@ VSTPlugin::load_user_preset (PresetRecord r)
 					_state->wanted_chunk = raw_data;
 					_state->wanted_chunk_size = size;
 					_state->want_chunk = 1;
-					LoadPresetProgram (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */ /* used for macvst */
+					if (!has_editor () || 0 == plugin_insert ()->window_proxy ()) {
+						vststate_maybe_set_program (_state);
+						_state->want_chunk = 0;
+						_state->want_program = -1;
+					} else {
+						LoadPresetProgram (); /* EMIT SIGNAL */ /* used for macvst */
+					}
 					return true;
 				}
 			}