diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mono_panner.cc b/gtk2_ardour/mono_panner.cc
index c1039092c5..57939a4f19 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mono_panner.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mono_panner.cc
@@ -133,13 +133,18 @@ MonoPanner::on_expose_event (GdkEventExpose*)
         pf = colors.pos_fill;
         po = colors.pos_outline;
 
+        if (_panner_shell->bypassed()) {
+		b  = 0x20202040;
+		f  = 0x404040ff;
+		o  = 0x606060ff;
+		po = 0x606060ff;
+		pf = 0x404040ff;
+		t  = 0x606060ff;
+	}
+
         /* background */
 
-        if (!_panner_shell->bypassed()) {
-                context->set_source_rgba (UINT_RGBA_R_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_G_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_B_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_A_FLT(b));
-        } else {
-                context->set_source_rgba (0.1, 0.1, 0.1, 0.2);
-        }
+	context->set_source_rgba (UINT_RGBA_R_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_G_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_B_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_A_FLT(b));
         context->rectangle (0, 0, width, height);
         context->fill ();
 
@@ -169,10 +174,6 @@ MonoPanner::on_expose_event (GdkEventExpose*)
         context->line_to ((pos_box_size/2.0) + (usable_width/2.0), height);
         context->stroke ();
 
-	if (_panner_shell->bypassed()) {
-		return true;
-	}
-
         /* left box */
 
         rounded_rectangle (context,
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/stereo_panner.cc b/gtk2_ardour/stereo_panner.cc
index c2b38867ab..116dfbd8a0 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/stereo_panner.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/stereo_panner.cc
@@ -150,13 +150,17 @@ StereoPanner::on_expose_event (GdkEventExpose*)
 	b = colors[state].background;
 	r = colors[state].rule;
 
+	if (_panner_shell->bypassed()) {
+		b  = 0x20202040;
+		f  = 0x404040ff;
+		o  = 0x606060ff;
+		t  = 0x606060ff;
+		r  = 0x606060ff;
+	}
+
 	/* background */
 
-	if (!_panner_shell->bypassed()) {
-		context->set_source_rgba (UINT_RGBA_R_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_G_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_B_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_A_FLT(b));
-	} else {
-		context->set_source_rgba (0.1, 0.1, 0.1, 0.2);
-	}
+	context->set_source_rgba (UINT_RGBA_R_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_G_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_B_FLT(b), UINT_RGBA_A_FLT(b));
 	cairo_rectangle (context->cobj(), 0, 0, width, height);
 	context->fill ();
 
@@ -194,10 +198,6 @@ StereoPanner::on_expose_event (GdkEventExpose*)
 	context->set_source_rgba (UINT_RGBA_R_FLT(r), UINT_RGBA_G_FLT(r), UINT_RGBA_B_FLT(r), UINT_RGBA_A_FLT(r));
 	context->stroke ();
 
-	if (_panner_shell->bypassed()) {
-		return true;
-	}
-
 	/* compute & draw the line through the box */
 
 	context->set_line_width (2);