diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
index c8990c1b5d..54637d1d76 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
@@ -2247,6 +2247,22 @@ RouteUI::route_color () const
 	return c;
 }
 
+Gdk::Color
+RouteUI::route_color_tint () const
+{
+	return route_color ();
+#if 0
+	Gdk::Color lighter_bg;
+
+	HSV l (gdk_color_to_rgba (route_color()));
+	l.h += std::min (l.h + 0.08, 1.0);
+	l.s = 0.15;
+	l.v -= std::max (0.0, 0.05);
+	set_color_from_rgba (lighter_bg, l.color ());
+	return lighter_bg;
+endif
+}
+
 void
 RouteUI::set_showing_sends_to (boost::shared_ptr<Route> send_to)
 {
@@ -2744,6 +2760,8 @@ RouteUI::rename_current_playlist ()
 	}
 }
 
+
+
 void
 RouteUI::set_bg_color_from_route (Gtk::Widget& w, bool yn)
 {
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.h
index ce6a318d71..757ec3413d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.h
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ public:
 	boost::shared_ptr<ARDOUR::MidiTrack>  midi_track () const;
 
 	Gdk::Color route_color () const;
+	Gdk::Color route_color_tint () const;
 
 	// protected: XXX sigh this should be here
 	// callbacks used by dervice classes via &RouteUI::*