diff --git a/src/TrackPanel.cpp b/src/TrackPanel.cpp
index c75aad047..623a98754 100644
--- a/src/TrackPanel.cpp
+++ b/src/TrackPanel.cpp
@@ -7741,10 +7741,12 @@ void TrackPanel::OnTrackMenu(Track *t)
          (next && isMono && !next->GetLinked() &&
           next->GetKind() == Track::Wave);
 
-      theMenu->Enable(OnSwapChannelsID, t->GetLinked());
-      theMenu->Enable(OnMergeStereoID, canMakeStereo);
-      theMenu->Enable(OnSplitStereoID, t->GetLinked());
-      theMenu->Enable(OnSplitStereoMonoID, t->GetLinked());
+      // Unsafe to change channels during real-time preview (bug 1560)
+      bool unsafe = EffectManager::Get().RealtimeIsActive() && IsUnsafe();
+      theMenu->Enable(OnSwapChannelsID, t->GetLinked() && !unsafe);
+      theMenu->Enable(OnMergeStereoID, canMakeStereo && !unsafe);
+      theMenu->Enable(OnSplitStereoID, t->GetLinked() && !unsafe);
+      theMenu->Enable(OnSplitStereoMonoID, t->GetLinked() && !unsafe);
 
       // We only need to set check marks. Clearing checks causes problems on Linux (bug 851)
       // + Setting unchecked items to false is to get round a linux bug
@@ -7786,7 +7788,7 @@ void TrackPanel::OnTrackMenu(Track *t)
       SetMenuCheck(*mRateMenu, IdOfRate((int) track->GetRate()));
       SetMenuCheck(*mFormatMenu, IdOfFormat(track->GetSampleFormat()));
 
-      bool unsafe = IsUnsafe();
+      unsafe = IsUnsafe();
       for (int i = OnRate8ID; i <= OnFloatID; i++) {
          theMenu->Enable(i, !unsafe);
       }