diff --git a/src/gui/doAction.cpp b/src/gui/doAction.cpp
index 9e0ec7fd5..48edf51e2 100644
--- a/src/gui/doAction.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/doAction.cpp
@@ -681,30 +681,7 @@ void FurnaceGUI::doAction(int what) {
       latchNibble=false;
       break;
     case GUI_ACTION_PAT_ABSORB_INSTRUMENT: {
-      DivPattern* pat=e->curPat[cursor.xCoarse].getPattern(e->curOrders->ord[cursor.xCoarse][curOrder],false);
-      if (!pat) break;
-      bool foundIns=false;
-      bool foundOctave=false;
-      for (int i=cursor.y; i>=0 && !(foundIns && foundOctave); i--) {
-        // absorb most recent instrument
-        if (!foundIns && pat->data[i][2] >= 0) {
-          curIns=pat->data[i][2];
-          foundIns=true;
-        }
-        // absorb most recent octave (i.e. set curOctave such that the "main row" (QWERTY) of notes
-        // will result in an octave number equal to the previous note).
-        if (!foundOctave && pat->data[i][0] != 0) {
-          // decode octave data (was signed cast to unsigned char)
-          int octave=pat->data[i][1];
-          if (octave>128) octave-=256;
-          // @NOTE the special handling when note==12, which is really an octave above what's
-          // stored in the octave data. without this handling, if you press Q, then
-          // "ABSORB_INSTRUMENT", then Q again, you'd get a different octave!
-          if (pat->data[i][0]==12) octave++;
-          curOctave=CLAMP(octave-1, GUI_EDIT_OCTAVE_MIN, GUI_EDIT_OCTAVE_MAX);
-          foundOctave=true;
-        }
-      }
+      doAbsorbInstrument();
       break;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/gui/editing.cpp b/src/gui/editing.cpp
index 1a4449098..8a49f4ecf 100644
--- a/src/gui/editing.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/editing.cpp
@@ -1823,6 +1823,52 @@ void FurnaceGUI::doExpandSong(int multiplier) {
   if (e->isPlaying()) e->play();
 }
 
+void FurnaceGUI::doAbsorbInstrument() {
+  bool foundIns=false;
+  bool foundOctave=false;
+  auto foundAll = [&]() { return foundIns && foundOctave; };
+
+  // search this order and all prior until we find all the data we need
+  int orderIdx=curOrder;
+  for (; orderIdx>=0 && !foundAll(); orderIdx--) {
+    DivPattern* pat=e->curPat[cursor.xCoarse].getPattern(e->curOrders->ord[cursor.xCoarse][orderIdx],false);
+    if (!pat) continue;
+
+    // start on current row when searching current order, but start from end when searching
+    // prior orders.
+    int searchStartRow=orderIdx==curOrder ? cursor.y : e->curSubSong->patLen-1;
+    for (int i=searchStartRow; i>=0 && !foundAll(); i--) {
+
+      // absorb most recent instrument
+      if (!foundIns && pat->data[i][2] >= 0) {
+        foundIns=true;
+        curIns=pat->data[i][2];
+      }
+
+      // absorb most recent octave (i.e. set curOctave such that the "main row" (QWERTY) of
+      // notes will result in an octave number equal to the previous note).
+      if (!foundOctave && pat->data[i][0] != 0) {
+        foundOctave=true;
+
+        // decode octave data (was signed cast to unsigned char)
+        int octave=pat->data[i][1];
+        if (octave>128) octave-=256;
+
+        // @NOTE the special handling when note==12, which is really an octave above what's
+        // stored in the octave data. without this handling, if you press Q, then
+        // "ABSORB_INSTRUMENT", then Q again, you'd get a different octave!
+        if (pat->data[i][0]==12) octave++;
+        curOctave=CLAMP(octave-1, GUI_EDIT_OCTAVE_MIN, GUI_EDIT_OCTAVE_MAX);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  // if no instrument has been set at this point, the only way to match it is to use "none"
+  if (!foundIns) curIns=-1;
+
+  logD("doAbsorbInstrument -- searched %d orders", curOrder-orderIdx);
+}
+
 void FurnaceGUI::doDrag() {
   int len=dragEnd.xCoarse-dragStart.xCoarse+1;
 
diff --git a/src/gui/gui.h b/src/gui/gui.h
index 8108c74f0..83d412b7f 100644
--- a/src/gui/gui.h
+++ b/src/gui/gui.h
@@ -2922,6 +2922,7 @@ class FurnaceGUI {
   void doExpand(int multiplier, const SelectionPoint& sStart, const SelectionPoint& sEnd);
   void doCollapseSong(int divider);
   void doExpandSong(int multiplier);
+  void doAbsorbInstrument();
   void doUndo();
   void doRedo();
   void doFind();