diff --git a/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.cc b/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.cc
index 3ec1369..a50d256 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.cc
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ std::map<std::string,DeviceInfo> DeviceInfo::device_info;
 DeviceInfo::DeviceInfo()
 	: _strip_cnt (8)
 	, _extenders (0)
+	, _master_position (0)
 	, _has_two_character_display (true)
 	, _has_master_fader (true)
 	, _has_timecode_display (true)
@@ -241,6 +242,14 @@ DeviceInfo::set_state (const XMLNode& node, int /* version */)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if ((child = node.child ("MasterPosition")) != 0) {
+		if ((prop = child->property ("value")) != 0) {
+			if ((_master_position = atoi (prop->value().c_str())) == 0) {
+				_master_position = 0;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if ((child = node.child ("TwoCharacterDisplay")) != 0) {
 		if ((prop = child->property ("value")) != 0) {
 			_has_two_character_display = string_is_affirmative (prop->value());
@@ -387,6 +396,12 @@ DeviceInfo::extenders() const
 	return _extenders;
 }
 
+uint32_t
+DeviceInfo::master_position() const
+{
+	return _master_position;
+}
+
 bool
 DeviceInfo::has_master_fader() const
 {
@@ -510,6 +525,7 @@ std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream& os, const Mackie::DeviceInfo& di)
 	os << di.name() << ' ' 
 	   << di.strip_cnt() << ' '
 	   << di.extenders() << ' '
+	   << di.master_position() << ' '
 		;
 	return os;
 }
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.h b/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.h
index 9a70852..ac24b1c 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.h
+++ b/libs/surfaces/mackie/device_info.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ class DeviceInfo
 
 	uint32_t strip_cnt () const;
 	uint32_t extenders() const;
+	uint32_t master_position() const;
 	bool has_two_character_display() const; 
 	bool has_master_fader () const;
 	bool has_timecode_display() const;
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ class DeviceInfo
   private:
     uint32_t _strip_cnt;
     uint32_t _extenders;
+    uint32_t _master_position;
     bool     _has_two_character_display;
     bool     _has_master_fader;
     bool     _has_timecode_display;
diff --git a/libs/surfaces/mackie/surface.cc b/libs/surfaces/mackie/surface.cc
index dc79d5f..b918f67 100644
--- a/libs/surfaces/mackie/surface.cc
+++ b/libs/surfaces/mackie/surface.cc
@@ -94,8 +94,9 @@ Surface::Surface (MackieControlProtocol& mcp, const std::string& device_name, ui
 	}
 
 	/* only the first Surface object has global controls */
-
-	if (_number == 0) {
+	/* lets use master_position instead */
+	uint32_t mp = _mcp.device_info().master_position();
+	if (_number == mp) {
 		DEBUG_TRACE (DEBUG::MackieControl, "Surface is first. Might have global controls.\n");
 		if (_mcp.device_info().has_global_controls()) {
 			init_controls ();