diff --git a/src/TrackArtist.cpp b/src/TrackArtist.cpp
index 952e1bdd0..355466b27 100644
--- a/src/TrackArtist.cpp
+++ b/src/TrackArtist.cpp
@@ -703,10 +703,11 @@ void TrackArtist::UpdateVRuler(Track *t, wxRect & rect)
 
             float min, max;
             wt->GetDisplayBounds(&min, &max);
-            if (wt->GetLastScaleType() != scaleType)
+            if (wt->GetLastScaleType() != scaleType &&
+                wt->GetLastScaleType() != -1)
             {
                // do a translation into the linear space
-               wt->SetLastScaleType(scaleType);
+               wt->SetLastScaleType();
                float sign = (min >= 0 ? 1 : -1);
                if (min != 0.) {
                   min = DB_TO_LINEAR(fabs(min) * dBRange - dBRange);
@@ -742,10 +743,11 @@ void TrackArtist::UpdateVRuler(Track *t, wxRect & rect)
             float min, max;
             wt->GetDisplayBounds(&min, &max);
 
-            if (wt->GetLastScaleType() != scaleType)
+            if (wt->GetLastScaleType() != scaleType &&
+                wt->GetLastScaleType() != -1)
             {
                // do a translation into the dB space
-               wt->SetLastScaleType(scaleType);
+               wt->SetLastScaleType();
                float sign = (min >= 0 ? 1 : -1);
                if (min != 0.) {
                   min = (LINEAR_TO_DB(fabs(min)) + dBRange) / dBRange;
diff --git a/src/TrackPanel.cpp b/src/TrackPanel.cpp
index 9d83e18bf..c9cf4f8f6 100644
--- a/src/TrackPanel.cpp
+++ b/src/TrackPanel.cpp
@@ -9375,6 +9375,7 @@ void TrackPanel::OnSetDisplay(wxCommandEvent & event)
       (id == WaveTrack::Waveform &&
        wt->GetWaveformSettings().isLinear() != linear);
    if (wrongType || wrongScale) {
+      wt->SetLastScaleType();
       wt->SetDisplay(WaveTrack::WaveTrackDisplay(id));
       if (wrongScale)
          wt->GetIndependentWaveformSettings().scaleType = linear
@@ -9383,6 +9384,7 @@ void TrackPanel::OnSetDisplay(wxCommandEvent & event)
 
       WaveTrack *l = static_cast<WaveTrack *>(wt->GetLink());
       if (l) {
+         l->SetLastScaleType();
          l->SetDisplay(WaveTrack::WaveTrackDisplay(id));
          if (wrongScale)
             l->GetIndependentWaveformSettings().scaleType = linear
diff --git a/src/WaveTrack.cpp b/src/WaveTrack.cpp
index 07da0ebe8..9daee4877 100644
--- a/src/WaveTrack.cpp
+++ b/src/WaveTrack.cpp
@@ -283,6 +283,11 @@ WaveTrack::ValidateWaveTrackDisplay(WaveTrackDisplay display)
    }
 }
 
+void WaveTrack::SetLastScaleType()
+{
+   mLastScaleType = GetWaveformSettings().scaleType;
+}
+
 void WaveTrack::GetDisplayBounds(float *min, float *max)
 {
    *min = mDisplayMin;
diff --git a/src/WaveTrack.h b/src/WaveTrack.h
index 68d259a87..c21d7399e 100644
--- a/src/WaveTrack.h
+++ b/src/WaveTrack.h
@@ -433,11 +433,7 @@ class AUDACITY_DLL_API WaveTrack : public Track {
    static WaveTrackDisplay ValidateWaveTrackDisplay(WaveTrackDisplay display);
 
    int GetLastScaleType() { return mLastScaleType; }
-   void SetLastScaleType(int scaleType)
-   {
-      // remember last display mode for wave and wavedb so vertical ruler can remap
-      mLastScaleType = scaleType;
-   }
+   void SetLastScaleType();
 
    WaveTrackDisplay GetDisplay() const { return mDisplay; }
    void SetDisplay(WaveTrackDisplay display) { mDisplay = display; }