diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
index 917999405c..67be181937 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ MidiRegionView::enter_internal()
 void
 MidiRegionView::leave_internal()
 {
-	trackview.editor().verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 	remove_ghost_note ();
 
 	if (_grabbed_keyboard) {
@@ -485,11 +485,6 @@ MidiRegionView::leave_internal()
 	if (frame_handle_end) {
 		frame_handle_end->raise_to_top();
 	}
-
-	MidiTimeAxisView* mtv = dynamic_cast<MidiTimeAxisView*>(&trackview);
-	if (mtv) {
-		mtv->set_note_highlight (NO_MIDI_NOTE);
-	}
 }
 
 bool
@@ -634,7 +629,7 @@ MidiRegionView::motion (GdkEventMotion* ev)
 	} else if (_ghost_note && editor.current_mouse_mode() == MouseContent) {
 
 		remove_ghost_note ();
-		editor.verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+		hide_verbose_cursor ();
 
 	} else if (_ghost_note && editor.current_mouse_mode() == MouseDraw) {
 
@@ -658,7 +653,7 @@ MidiRegionView::motion (GdkEventMotion* ev)
 				editor.drags()->set (new NoteCreateDrag (dynamic_cast<Editor *> (&editor), group, this), (GdkEvent *) ev);
 				_mouse_state = AddDragging;
 				remove_ghost_note ();
-				editor.verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+				hide_verbose_cursor ();
 				return true;
 			} else if (m == MouseContent) {
 				editor.drags()->set (new MidiRubberbandSelectDrag (dynamic_cast<Editor *> (&editor), this), (GdkEvent *) ev);
@@ -712,7 +707,7 @@ MidiRegionView::scroll (GdkEventScroll* ev)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	trackview.editor().verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 
 	bool fine = !Keyboard::modifier_state_contains (ev->state, Keyboard::SecondaryModifier);
 	bool together = Keyboard::modifier_state_contains (ev->state, Keyboard::TertiaryModifier);
@@ -1387,7 +1382,7 @@ MidiRegionView::~MidiRegionView ()
 {
 	in_destructor = true;
 
-	trackview.editor().verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 
 	note_delete_connection.disconnect ();
 
@@ -2130,6 +2125,7 @@ MidiRegionView::delete_selection()
 	_selection.clear();
 
 	apply_diff ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 }
 
 void
@@ -2139,7 +2135,7 @@ MidiRegionView::delete_note (boost::shared_ptr<NoteType> n)
 	_note_diff_command->remove (n);
 	apply_diff ();
 
-	trackview.editor().verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 }
 
 void
@@ -3336,13 +3332,11 @@ MidiRegionView::note_entered(NoteBase* ev)
 void
 MidiRegionView::note_left (NoteBase*)
 {
-	Editor* editor = dynamic_cast<Editor*>(&trackview.editor());
-
 	for (Selection::iterator i = _selection.begin(); i != _selection.end(); ++i) {
 		(*i)->hide_velocity ();
 	}
 
-	editor->verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 }
 
 void
@@ -3360,7 +3354,7 @@ MidiRegionView::patch_entered (PatchChange* p)
 void
 MidiRegionView::patch_left (PatchChange *)
 {
-	trackview.editor().verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 	/* focus will transfer back via the enter-notify event sent to this
 	 * midi region view.
 	 */
@@ -3380,7 +3374,7 @@ MidiRegionView::sysex_entered (SysEx* p)
 void
 MidiRegionView::sysex_left (SysEx *)
 {
-	trackview.editor().verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	hide_verbose_cursor ();
 	/* focus will transfer back via the enter-notify event sent to this
 	 * midi region view.
 	 */
@@ -3765,6 +3759,16 @@ MidiRegionView::remove_ghost_note ()
 	_ghost_note = 0;
 }
 
+void
+MidiRegionView::hide_verbose_cursor ()
+{
+	trackview.editor().verbose_cursor()->hide ();
+	MidiTimeAxisView* mtv = dynamic_cast<MidiTimeAxisView*>(&trackview);
+	if (mtv) {
+		mtv->set_note_highlight (NO_MIDI_NOTE);
+	}
+}
+
 void
 MidiRegionView::snap_changed ()
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h
index 4cab6b16bf..bcc4e7aca2 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.h
@@ -502,6 +502,7 @@ private:
 	void mouse_mode_changed ();
 	void enter_internal ();
 	void leave_internal ();
+	void hide_verbose_cursor ();
 
 	framecnt_t _last_display_zoom;
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/piano_roll_header.cc b/gtk2_ardour/piano_roll_header.cc
index c6e0b94224..8b2e49770d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/piano_roll_header.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/piano_roll_header.cc
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ using namespace std;
 using namespace Gtkmm2ext;
 
 PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::white = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.77f, 0.78f, 0.76f);
-PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::white_highlight = PianoRollHeader::Color(1.00f, 0.50f, 0.50f);
+PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::white_highlight = PianoRollHeader::Color(1.00f, 0.40f, 0.40f);
 PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::white_shade_light = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.95f, 0.95f, 0.95f);
 PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::white_shade_dark = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.56f, 0.56f, 0.56f);
 
 PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::black = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.24f, 0.24f, 0.24f);
-PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::black_highlight = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.50f, 0.10f, 0.10f);
+PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::black_highlight = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.60f, 0.10f, 0.10f);
 PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::black_shade_light = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.46f, 0.46f, 0.46f);
 PianoRollHeader::Color PianoRollHeader::black_shade_dark = PianoRollHeader::Color(0.1f, 0.1f, 0.1f);
 
@@ -558,6 +558,10 @@ PianoRollHeader::on_button_release_event (GdkEventButton* ev)
 
 void
 PianoRollHeader::set_note_highlight (uint8_t note) {
+	if (_highlighted_note == note) {
+		return;
+	}
+
 	if (_highlighted_note != NO_MIDI_NOTE) {
 		if (note > _highlighted_note) {
 			invalidate_note_range (_highlighted_note, note);