--- a/dolphin/src/main/java/com/redhat/swing/laf/dolphin/tab/DolphinTabbedPaneUI.java	Thu May 31 21:44:14 2012 +0200
+++ b/dolphin/src/main/java/com/redhat/swing/laf/dolphin/tab/DolphinTabbedPaneUI.java	Thu May 31 21:44:14 2012 +0200
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 import java.awt.geom.GeneralPath;
 
 import javax.swing.JComponent;
+import javax.swing.JTabbedPane;
 import javax.swing.plaf.ComponentUI;
 import javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalTabbedPaneUI;
 
@@ -53,6 +54,11 @@
 
 public class DolphinTabbedPaneUI extends MetalTabbedPaneUI {
 
+    private static final boolean keepBG;
+    static {
+        keepBG = DolphinThemeUtils.getCurrentTheme().getTabPaneKeepBackgroundColor();
+    }
+    
     private static final int MAGIC_NUMBER = 3;
     
     public static ComponentUI createUI(JComponent tabPane) {
@@ -75,6 +81,25 @@
         return tab;
     }
     
+    private boolean bgSet;
+    @Override
+    public void paint(Graphics g, JComponent c) {
+       if (!keepBG && !bgSet) {
+           if (c instanceof JTabbedPane) {
+               // well, who else...
+               JTabbedPane tabPane = (JTabbedPane) c;
+               
+               DolphinTheme theme = DolphinThemeUtils.getCurrentTheme();
+               
+               for (int i = 0; i < tabPane.getComponentCount(); i++) {
+                   tabPane.getComponent(i).setBackground(theme.getTabAreaBackground());
+               }
+               bgSet = true;
+           }
+       }
+       super.paint(g, c);
+    }
+    
     @Override
     protected void paintTopTabBorder(int tabIndex, Graphics g, int x, int y,
                                      int w, int h, int btm, int rght, boolean isSelected)

--- a/dolphin/src/main/java/com/redhat/swing/laf/dolphin/themes/DolphinTheme.java	Thu May 31 21:44:14 2012 +0200
+++ b/dolphin/src/main/java/com/redhat/swing/laf/dolphin/themes/DolphinTheme.java	Thu May 31 21:44:14 2012 +0200
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@
         System.setProperty("dolphin.tree.nofill", String.valueOf(value));
     }
 
+    public boolean getTabPaneKeepBackgroundColor() {
+        return Boolean.getBoolean("dolphin.tab.keepbg");
+    }
+    
+    public void setTabPaneKeepBackgroundColor(boolean value) {
+        System.setProperty("dolphin.tab.keepbg", String.valueOf(value));
+    }
+    
     public abstract ColorUIResource getwindowBackgroundColor();
     
     public abstract ColorUIResource getMenuBackgroundColor();