diff --git a/src/chat.py b/src/chat.py
index f1c923f5e..fb70c1508 100644
--- a/src/chat.py
+++ b/src/chat.py
@@ -208,10 +208,21 @@ class Chat:
 					color = gajim.config.get_per('themes', theme,
 								     'state_active_color')
 			if color:
-				# FIXME: When tabs are in the "background" the color change has
-				# no affect
-				#print jid, chatstate, color
-				nickname.modify_fg(gtk.STATE_NORMAL, gtk.gdk.color_parse(color))
+				color = gtk.gdk.colormap_get_system().alloc_color(color)
+				# The widget state depend on whether this tab is the "current" tab
+				if self.notebook.page_num(child) == self.notebook.get_current_page():
+					widget_state = gtk.STATE_NORMAL 
+				else:
+					widget_state = gtk.STATE_ACTIVE 
+					if chatstate in ['inactive', 'gone']:
+						# Adjust color to be lighter against the darker inactive
+						# background
+						p = 0.4
+						mask = 0
+						color.red = int((color.red * p) + (mask * (1 - p)))
+						color.green = int((color.green * p) + (mask * (1 - p)))
+						color.blue = int((color.blue * p) + (mask * (1 - p)))
+				nickname.modify_fg(widget_state, color)
 		elif self.widget_name == 'groupchat_window':
 			nickname = hb.get_children()[0]
 			close_button = hb.get_children()[1]