diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_line.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_line.cc
index 8691e1e2ab..6586aed966 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_line.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_line.cc
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ AutomationLine::AutomationLine (const string& name, TimeAxisView& tv, ArdourCanv
 	group->property_y() = 0.0;
 
 	line = new ArdourCanvas::Line (*group);
-	line->property_width_pixels() = (guint)3;
+	line->property_width_pixels() = (guint)1;
 	line->set_data ("line", this);
 
 	line->signal_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &AutomationLine::event_handler));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.cc b/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.cc
index 0d88c1cdbc..ccacda210f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.cc
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@
 
 #include <libgnomecanvas/libgnomecanvas.h>
 
-#include "gtkmm2ext/rgb_macros.h"
-
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "editor_cursors.h"
 #include "editor.h"
@@ -34,7 +32,6 @@ using namespace Gtk;
 
 EditorCursor::EditorCursor (Editor& ed, bool (Editor::*callbck)(GdkEvent*,ArdourCanvas::Item*))
 	: editor (ed),
-	  shade (*editor.cursor_group),
 	  canvas_item (*editor.cursor_group),
 	  length(1.0)
 {
@@ -49,10 +46,6 @@ EditorCursor::EditorCursor (Editor& ed, bool (Editor::*callbck)(GdkEvent*,Ardour
 	canvas_item.property_arrow_shape_b() = 0.0;
 	canvas_item.property_arrow_shape_c() = 9.0;
 
-	shade.property_points() = points;
-	shade.property_width_pixels() = 7;
-	shade.property_fill_color_rgba() = RGBA_TO_UINT (255, 255, 255, 75);
-
 	canvas_item.set_data ("cursor", this);
 	canvas_item.signal_event().connect (sigc::bind (sigc::mem_fun (ed, callbck), &canvas_item));
 	current_frame = 1; /* force redraw at 0 */
@@ -76,7 +69,6 @@ EditorCursor::set_position (framepos_t frame)
 		points.back().set_x (new_pos);
 
 		canvas_item.property_points() = points;
-		shade.property_points() = points;
 	}
 	current_frame = frame;
 }
@@ -87,7 +79,6 @@ EditorCursor::set_length (double units)
 	length = units;
 	points.back().set_y (points.front().get_y() + length);
 	canvas_item.property_points() = points;
-	shade.property_points() = points;
 }
 
 void
@@ -96,5 +87,4 @@ EditorCursor::set_y_axis (double position)
 	points.front().set_y (position);
 	points.back().set_y (position + length);
 	canvas_item.property_points() = points;
-	shade.property_points() = points;
 }
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.h b/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.h
index 2b5c46b4a0..2e2c654bd1 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/editor_cursors.h
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@ class EditorCursor {
 public:
 	Editor&              editor;
 	ArdourCanvas::Points points;
-	ArdourCanvas::Line   shade;	
-        ArdourCanvas::Line   canvas_item;
+	ArdourCanvas::Line   canvas_item;
 	framepos_t           current_frame;
 	double               length;