diff --git a/src/HistogramWindow.cpp b/src/HistogramWindow.cpp
index 5e14fcc74..b1109caba 100644
--- a/src/HistogramWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/HistogramWindow.cpp
@@ -49,9 +49,11 @@ HistogramWindow::HistogramWindow(MainWindow *mainWindow, bool rangemode) : GcWin
     //
 
     // reveal widget
+    revealBackground = new QWidget(this);
+    revealBackground->setStyleSheet("background-color: rgba(100%, 100%, 100%, 100%)");
     revealControls = new QWidget(this);
     revealControls->setFixedHeight(50);
-    revealControls->setStyleSheet("background-color: rgba(100%, 100%, 100%, 100%)");
+    revealControls->setStyleSheet("background-color: rgba(100%, 100%, 100%, 0%)");
     revealControls->setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Expanding, QSizePolicy::Minimum);
 
     revealAnim = new QPropertyAnimation(revealControls, "pos");
@@ -61,11 +63,13 @@ HistogramWindow::HistogramWindow(MainWindow *mainWindow, bool rangemode) : GcWin
     revealAnim->setKeyValueAt(0.5,QPoint(2,15));
     revealAnim->setKeyValueAt(1,QPoint(2,20));
 
-    unrevealAnim = new QPropertyAnimation(revealControls, "pos");
-    unrevealAnim->setDuration(500);
-    unrevealAnim->setKeyValueAt(0,QPoint(2,20));
-    unrevealAnim->setKeyValueAt(0.5,QPoint(2,15));
-    unrevealAnim->setKeyValueAt(1,QPoint(2,-50));
+    revealBgAnim = new QPropertyAnimation(revealBackground, "geometry");
+    revealBgAnim->setEasingCurve(QEasingCurve(QEasingCurve::InSine));
+    revealBgAnim->setDuration(500);
+
+    groupAnim = new QParallelAnimationGroup();
+    groupAnim->addAnimation(revealAnim);
+    groupAnim->addAnimation(revealBgAnim);
 
     // reveal controls
     rWidth = new QLabel(tr("Bin Width"), revealControls);
@@ -104,7 +108,9 @@ HistogramWindow::HistogramWindow(MainWindow *mainWindow, bool rangemode) : GcWin
     vlayout->addWidget(powerHist);
 
     mainLayout->addLayout(vlayout,0,0);
+    mainLayout->addWidget(revealBackground,0,0, Qt::AlignTop);
     mainLayout->addWidget(revealControls,0,0, Qt::AlignTop);
+    revealBackground->raise();
     revealControls->raise();
     setLayout(mainLayout);
 
@@ -413,6 +419,14 @@ HistogramWindow::setShade(int x)
     shadeZones->setCheckState((Qt::CheckState)x);
 }
 
+void
+HistogramWindow::resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *)
+{
+    revealBgAnim->setKeyValueAt(0, QRect(2, contentsMargins().top(), width()-4, 0));
+    revealBgAnim->setKeyValueAt(0.5, QRect(2, contentsMargins().top(), width()-4, 45));
+    revealBgAnim->setKeyValueAt(1, QRect(2, contentsMargins().top(), width()-4, 50));
+}
+
 void
 HistogramWindow::updateChart()
 {
diff --git a/src/HistogramWindow.h b/src/HistogramWindow.h
index 10b75066b..df48997ac 100644
--- a/src/HistogramWindow.h
+++ b/src/HistogramWindow.h
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ class HistogramWindow : public GcWindow
 
         // reveal
         bool hasReveal() { return true; }
-        void reveal() { revealControls->show(); revealAnim->start(); }
-        void unreveal() { unrevealAnim->start(); revealControls->hide(); }
+        void reveal() { revealBackground->show(); revealControls->show(); groupAnim->start(); }
+        void unreveal() { revealBackground->hide(); revealControls->hide(); }
 
         // get/set properties
         int series() const { return seriesCombo->currentIndex(); }
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ class HistogramWindow : public GcWindow
         void setBinWidthFromSlider();
         void setBinWidthFromLineEdit();
         void updateChart();
+        void resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *);
 
     private:
 
@@ -146,8 +147,10 @@ class HistogramWindow : public GcWindow
         QComboBox *seriesCombo;         // Which data series to plot
 
         // reveal controls
-        QWidget *revealControls;
-        QPropertyAnimation *revealAnim, *unrevealAnim;
+        QWidget *revealControls,
+                *revealBackground;
+        QAnimationGroup *groupAnim;
+        QPropertyAnimation *revealAnim, *revealBgAnim;
         QLabel *rWidth;
         QLineEdit *rBinEdit;    // set Bin Width from the line edit
         QSlider *rBinSlider;        // seet Bin Width from a slider