diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
index 52980e7270..a95e8a05a4 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_region_view.cc
@@ -2868,12 +2868,16 @@ MidiRegionView::note_mouse_position (float x_fraction, float /*y_fraction*/, boo
 void
 MidiRegionView::set_frame_color()
 {
-	if (frame) {
-		if (_selected) {
-			frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_SelectedFrameBase.get();
-		} else {
-			frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_MidiFrameBase.get();
-		}
+	if (!frame) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (_selected) {
+		frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_SelectedFrameBase.get();
+	} else if (high_enough_for_name) {
+		frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_MidiFrameBase.get();
+	} else {
+		frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = fill_color;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc
index f0dd9a7984..8220536508 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/time_axis_view_item.cc
@@ -531,6 +531,7 @@ TimeAxisViewItem::set_height (double height)
 	vestigial_frame->property_y2() = height - 1;
 
 	update_name_pixbuf_visibility ();
+	set_colors ();
 }
 
 void
@@ -691,13 +692,19 @@ TimeAxisViewItem::set_frame_color()
 	} else {
 		if (_recregion) {
 			frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_RecordingRect.get();
-		} else {
+		} else if (high_enough_for_name) {
 			if (fill_opacity) {
 				frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = UINT_RGBA_CHANGE_A (ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_FrameBase.get(), fill_opacity);
 			} else {
 				frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_FrameBase.get();
 			}
-		}
+		} else {
+			if (fill_opacity) {
+				frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = UINT_RGBA_CHANGE_A (fill_color, fill_opacity);
+			} else {
+				frame->property_fill_color_rgba() = fill_color;
+			}
+		}			
 	}
 }