diff --git a/src/Gui/Colors.cpp b/src/Gui/Colors.cpp
index 0a61b5918..7c81af65b 100644
--- a/src/Gui/Colors.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/Colors.cpp
@@ -444,6 +444,22 @@ QColor GCColor::alternateColor(QColor bgColor)
         return QColor(Qt::lightGray);
 }
 
+QColor GCColor::selectedColor(QColor bgColor)
+{
+     // if foreground is white then we're "dark" if it's
+     // black the we're "light" so this controls palette
+     bool dark = invertColor(bgColor) == QColor(Qt::white);
+     bool isblack = bgColor == QColor(Qt::black); // e.g. mustang theme
+
+     // on select background color
+     QColor bg_select = bgColor;
+     if (dark) bg_select = bg_select.lighter(200);
+     else bg_select = bg_select.darker(200);
+     if (isblack) bg_select = QColor(30, 30, 30);
+
+     return bg_select;
+}
+
 const Colors * GCColor::colorSet()
 {
     return ColorList;
diff --git a/src/Gui/Colors.h b/src/Gui/Colors.h
index 7818831ce..48aee73b3 100644
--- a/src/Gui/Colors.h
+++ b/src/Gui/Colors.h
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ class GCColor : public QObject
         static double luminance(QColor color); // return the relative luminance
         static QColor invertColor(QColor); // return the contrasting color
         static QColor alternateColor(QColor); // return the alternate background
+        static QColor selectedColor(QColor); // return the on select background color
         static QColor htmlCode(QColor x) { return x.name(); } // return the alternate background
         static Themes &themes(); 
         static void applyTheme(int index);
diff --git a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
index ea0c2793a..93215a612 100644
--- a/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -2535,15 +2535,21 @@ MainWindow::configChanged(qint32)
     whatsthis->setStyleSheet(buttonstyle);
 
     // All platforms
-    QPalette tabbarPalette;
     tabbar->setAutoFillBackground(true);
     tabbar->setShape(QTabBar::RoundedSouth);
     tabbar->setDrawBase(false);
 
-    tabbarPalette.setBrush(backgroundRole(), GColor(CTOOLBAR));
-    tabbarPalette.setBrush(foregroundRole(), GCColor::invertColor(GColor(CTOOLBAR)));
-    tabbar->setPalette(tabbarPalette);
-    athleteView->setPalette(tabbarPalette);
+    // on select
+    QColor bg_select = GCColor::selectedColor(GColor(CTOOLBAR));
+    QColor fg_select = GCColor::invertColor(bg_select);
+
+    tabbar->setStyleSheet(QString("QTabBar::tab { background-color: %1; color: %2;}"
+        "QTabBar::tab::selected { background-color: %3; color: %4; }").arg(GColor(CTOOLBAR).name())
+                                                                        .arg(GCColor::invertColor(GColor(CTOOLBAR)).name())
+                                                                        .arg(bg_select.name())
+                                                                        .arg(fg_select.name()));
+    tabbar->setDocumentMode(true);
+    athleteView->setPalette(tabbar->palette());
 
     head->updateGeometry();
     repaint();
diff --git a/src/Gui/NewSideBar.cpp b/src/Gui/NewSideBar.cpp
index 03f2d6d7b..f27d42110 100644
--- a/src/Gui/NewSideBar.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/NewSideBar.cpp
@@ -218,8 +218,9 @@ static QImage imageRGB(QImage &source, QColor target)
 void
 NewSideBarItem::configChanged(qint32)
 {
-    QColor col = GColor(CCHROME);
-    QString style=QString("QWidget { background: rgb(%1,%2,%3); }").arg(col.red()).arg(col.green()).arg(col.blue());
+    // set background colors
+    bg_normal = GColor(CCHROME);
+    QString style = QString("QWidget { background: rgb(%1,%2,%3); }").arg(bg_normal.red()).arg(bg_normal.green()).arg(bg_normal.blue());
     setStyleSheet(style);
 
     // set foreground colors
@@ -232,16 +233,8 @@ NewSideBarItem::configChanged(qint32)
     if (dark) fg_disabled = QColor(80,80,80);
     else fg_disabled = QColor(180,180,180);
 
-    // set background colors
-    col=GColor(CCHROME);
-    bool isblack = (col == QColor(Qt::black)); // e.g. mustang theme
-    bg_normal = col;
-
     // on select
-    bg_select =GColor(CCHROME);
-    if (dark) bg_select = bg_select.lighter(200);
-    else bg_select = bg_select.darker(200);
-    if (isblack) bg_select = QColor(30,30,30);
+    bg_select = GCColor::selectedColor(bg_normal);
     fg_select = GCColor::invertColor(bg_select);
 
     // on hover
diff --git a/src/Gui/SearchBox.cpp b/src/Gui/SearchBox.cpp
index 27ee33693..f72848a26 100644
--- a/src/Gui/SearchBox.cpp
+++ b/src/Gui/SearchBox.cpp
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ SearchBox::configChanged(qint32)
                   .arg(clearButton->sizeHint().width() + frameWidth + 12));
 
     }
+        
+    toolButton->setStyleSheet(QString("QToolButton { background: transparent; color: %1;}")
+                                   .arg(GCColor::invertColor(GColor(CTOOLBAR)).name()));
 
     // get suitably formated list
     QList<QString> list;