diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
index 4dbd77c305..ccd466e35c 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.cc
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ Pianoroll::build_canvas ()
 	data_group = new ArdourCanvas::Container (hv_scroll_group);
 	CANVAS_DEBUG_NAME (data_group, "cue data group");
 
-	bg = new CueMidiBackground (data_group);
+	bg = new PianorollMidiBackground (data_group, *this);
 	_canvas_viewport->signal_size_allocate().connect (sigc::mem_fun(*this, &Pianoroll::canvas_allocate), false);
 
 	// used as rubberband rect
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
index 81785bf49c..4289c8f997 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ namespace ArdourWidgets {
 }
 
 class PianorollMidiView;
-class CueMidiBackground;
+class PianorollMidiBackground;
 
 class Pianoroll : public CueEditor
 {
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ class Pianoroll : public CueEditor
 	Gdk::Cursor* which_canvas_cursor (ItemType type) const;
 
 	void set_visible_channel (int chan);
+	int visible_channel () const { return _visible_channel; }
+
 	void note_mode_clicked();
 	ARDOUR::NoteMode note_mode() const { return _note_mode; }
 	void set_note_mode (ARDOUR::NoteMode);
@@ -216,7 +218,7 @@ class Pianoroll : public CueEditor
 	ParameterButtonMap parameter_button_map;
 	void rebuild_parameter_button_map ();
 
-	CueMidiBackground* bg;
+	PianorollMidiBackground* bg;
 	PianorollMidiView* view;
 
 	void build_canvas ();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.cc b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.cc
index 3db5b9c72c..7168139810 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.cc
@@ -20,23 +20,25 @@
  * 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
  */
 
+#include "pianoroll.h"
 #include "pianoroll_background.h"
 #include "midi_view.h"
 
-CueMidiBackground::CueMidiBackground (ArdourCanvas::Item* parent)
+PianorollMidiBackground::PianorollMidiBackground (ArdourCanvas::Item* parent, Pianoroll& pr)
 	: MidiViewBackground (parent)
 	, view (nullptr)
+	, pianoroll (pr)
 	, _width (0.)
 	, _height (0.)
 {
 }
 
-CueMidiBackground::~CueMidiBackground ()
+PianorollMidiBackground::~PianorollMidiBackground ()
 {
 }
 
 void
-CueMidiBackground::set_size (double w, double h)
+PianorollMidiBackground::set_size (double w, double h)
 {
 	_width = w;
 	_height = h;
@@ -47,47 +49,47 @@ CueMidiBackground::set_size (double w, double h)
 }
 
 double
-CueMidiBackground::contents_height() const
+PianorollMidiBackground::contents_height() const
 {
 	return _height;
 }
 
 double
-CueMidiBackground::height() const
+PianorollMidiBackground::height() const
 {
 	return _height;
 }
 
 double
-CueMidiBackground::width() const
+PianorollMidiBackground::width() const
 {
 	return _width;
 }
 
 uint8_t
-CueMidiBackground::get_preferred_midi_channel () const
+PianorollMidiBackground::get_preferred_midi_channel () const
 {
-	return 0;
+	return pianoroll.visible_channel ();
 }
 
 void
-CueMidiBackground::set_note_highlight (bool yn)
+PianorollMidiBackground::set_note_highlight (bool yn)
 {
 }
 
 void
-CueMidiBackground::record_layer_check (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Region>, samplepos_t)
+PianorollMidiBackground::record_layer_check (std::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::Region>, samplepos_t)
 {
 }
 
 void
-CueMidiBackground::set_view (MidiView* mv)
+PianorollMidiBackground::set_view (MidiView* mv)
 {
 	view = mv;
 }
 
 void
-CueMidiBackground::apply_note_range_to_children ()
+PianorollMidiBackground::apply_note_range_to_children ()
 {
 	if (view) {
 		view->apply_note_range (lowest_note(), highest_note());
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.h b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.h
index 0f72160909..13f5f6abf3 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/pianoroll_background.h
@@ -31,12 +31,13 @@
 #include "midi_view_background.h"
 
 class MidiView;
+class Pianoroll;
 
-class CueMidiBackground : public MidiViewBackground
+class PianorollMidiBackground : public MidiViewBackground
 {
   public:
-	CueMidiBackground (ArdourCanvas::Item* parent);
-	~CueMidiBackground ();
+	PianorollMidiBackground (ArdourCanvas::Item* parent, Pianoroll&);
+	~PianorollMidiBackground ();
 
 	double height() const;
 	double width() const;
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ class CueMidiBackground : public MidiViewBackground
 
   protected:
 	MidiView* view;
+	Pianoroll& pianoroll;
 	double _width;
 	double _height;