diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc
index 585012972c..7bc4839940 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/mixer_strip.cc
@@ -1491,20 +1491,20 @@ MixerStrip::setup_comment_button ()
 
 	case Wide:
 		if (_route->comment().empty ()) {
-			_comment_button.unset_bg (STATE_NORMAL);
+			_comment_button.set_name ("generic button");
 			_comment_button.set_text (_("Comments"));
 		} else {
-			_comment_button.modify_bg (STATE_NORMAL, color ());
+			_comment_button.set_name ("comment button");
 			_comment_button.set_text (_("*Comments*"));
 		}
 		break;
 
 	case Narrow:
 		if (_route->comment().empty ()) {
-			_comment_button.unset_bg (STATE_NORMAL);
+			_comment_button.set_name ("generic button");
 			_comment_button.set_text (_("Cmt"));
 		} else {
-			_comment_button.modify_bg (STATE_NORMAL, color ());
+			_comment_button.set_name ("comment button");
 			_comment_button.set_text (_("*Cmt*"));
 		}
 		break;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/themes/dark-ardour.colors b/gtk2_ardour/themes/dark-ardour.colors
index 7788ad774f..310e71b0e6 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/themes/dark-ardour.colors
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/themes/dark-ardour.colors
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@
     <ColorAlias name="clock: cursor" alias="color 8"/>
     <ColorAlias name="clock: edited text" alias="color 8"/>
     <ColorAlias name="clock: text" alias="color 12"/>
+    <ColorAlias name="comment button: fill" alias="color 20"/>
     <ColorAlias name="control point fill" alias="color 17"/>
     <ColorAlias name="control point outline" alias="meter color3"/>
     <ColorAlias name="control point selected fill" alias="color 72"/>