diff --git a/include/AutomatableModel.h b/include/AutomatableModel.h
index cdfdffccf62..46a225189ed 100644
--- a/include/AutomatableModel.h
+++ b/include/AutomatableModel.h
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ class EXPORT AutomatableModel : public Model, public JournallingObject
 		m_centerValue = centerVal;
 	}
 
+	//! link @p m1 and @p m2, let @p m1 take the values of @p m2
 	static void linkModels( AutomatableModel* m1, AutomatableModel* m2 );
 	static void unlinkModels( AutomatableModel* m1, AutomatableModel* m2 );
 
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ public slots:
 
 
 	DataType m_dataType;
-	ScaleType m_scaleType; //! scale type, linear by default
+	ScaleType m_scaleType; //!< scale type, linear by default
 	float m_value;
 	float m_initValue;
 	float m_minValue;
diff --git a/src/core/AutomatableModel.cpp b/src/core/AutomatableModel.cpp
index 5a97c328075..636a05ca99e 100644
--- a/src/core/AutomatableModel.cpp
+++ b/src/core/AutomatableModel.cpp
@@ -443,8 +443,24 @@ void AutomatableModel::unlinkModel( AutomatableModel* model )
 
 void AutomatableModel::linkModels( AutomatableModel* model1, AutomatableModel* model2 )
 {
+	if (!model1->m_linkedModels.contains( model2 ) && model1 != model2)
+	{
+		// copy data
+		model1->m_value = model2->m_value;
+		if (model1->valueBuffer() && model2->valueBuffer())
+		{
+			std::copy_n(model2->valueBuffer()->data(),
+				model1->valueBuffer()->length(),
+				model1->valueBuffer()->data());
+		}
+		// send dataChanged() before linking (because linking will
+		// connect the two dataChanged() signals)
+		emit model1->dataChanged();
+		// finally: link the models
 		model1->linkModel( model2 );
 		model2->linkModel( model1 );
+	}
+	emit model1->dataChanged();
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 8cbe23858bf..ce0e00f4cd4 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ ADD_EXECUTABLE(tests
 	QTestSuite
 	$<TARGET_OBJECTS:lmmsobjs>
 
+	src/core/AutomatableModelTest.cpp
 	src/core/ProjectVersionTest.cpp
 	src/core/RelativePathsTest.cpp
 
diff --git a/tests/src/core/AutomatableModelTest.cpp b/tests/src/core/AutomatableModelTest.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..553656f8d3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/src/core/AutomatableModelTest.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+/*
+ * AutomatableModelTest.cpp
+ *
+ * Copyright (c) 2020 Johannes Lorenz <j.git$$$lorenz-ho.me, $$$=@>
+ *
+ * This file is part of LMMS - https://lmms.io
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public
+ * License along with this program (see COPYING); if not, write to the
+ * Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor,
+ * Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ */
+
+#include "QTestSuite.h"
+
+#include "AutomatableModel.h"
+
+class AutomatableModelTest : QTestSuite
+{
+	Q_OBJECT
+
+	bool m1Changed, m2Changed;
+	void resetChanged() { m1Changed = m2Changed = false; }
+
+private slots: // helper slots
+	void onM1Changed(Model* ) { m1Changed = true; }
+	void onM2Changed(Model* ) { m2Changed = true; }
+
+private slots: // tests
+	void LinkTests()
+	{
+		BoolModel m1(false), m2(false);
+
+		QObject::connect(&m1, SIGNAL(dataChanged(Model*)),
+			this, SLOT(onM1Changed(Model*)));
+		QObject::connect(&m2, SIGNAL(dataChanged(Model*)),
+			this, SLOT(onM2Changed(Model*)));
+
+		resetChanged();
+		AutomatableModel::linkModels(&m1, &m1);
+		QVERIFY(!m1Changed); // cannot link to itself
+		QVERIFY(!m2Changed);
+
+		resetChanged();
+		AutomatableModel::linkModels(&m1, &m2);
+		QVERIFY(m1Changed); // since m1 takes the value of m2
+		QVERIFY(!m2Changed); // the second model is the source
+
+		resetChanged();
+		AutomatableModel::linkModels(&m1, &m2);
+		QVERIFY(!m1Changed); // it's already linked
+		QVERIFY(!m2Changed);
+
+		resetChanged();
+		BoolModel m3(false);
+		m1.setValue(1.f);
+		m2.setValue(1.f);
+		AutomatableModel::linkModels(&m1, &m2);
+		QVERIFY(m1.value());
+		QVERIFY(m2.value());
+		QVERIFY(!m3.value());
+		AutomatableModel::linkModels(&m2, &m3); // drag m3, drop on m2
+		// m2 should take m3's (0) value
+		// due to a bug(?), this does not happen
+		QVERIFY(m2.value());
+		QVERIFY(!m3.value());
+	}
+} AutomatableModelTests;
+
+#include "AutomatableModelTest.moc"