diff --git a/src/generic/listctrl.cpp b/src/generic/listctrl.cpp
index e051663178..d2897ce3b9 100644
--- a/src/generic/listctrl.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/listctrl.cpp
@@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ wxListMainWindow::wxListMainWindow( wxWindow *parent, wxWindowID id,
     m_renameTimer = new wxListRenameTimer( this );
     m_renameAccept = FALSE;
 
-    SetBackgroundColour( *wxWHITE );
+    SetBackgroundColour( wxSystemSettings::GetSystemColour( wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX ) );
 }
 
 wxListMainWindow::~wxListMainWindow()
@@ -2743,7 +2743,7 @@ bool wxListCtrl::Create(wxWindow *parent,
         m_headerWin = (wxListHeaderWindow *) NULL;
     }
 
-    SetBackgroundColour( *wxWHITE );
+    SetBackgroundColour( wxSystemSettings::GetSystemColour( wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX ) );
 
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/generic/treectrl.cpp b/src/generic/treectrl.cpp
index 3586419f4a..64b87f0b13 100644
--- a/src/generic/treectrl.cpp
+++ b/src/generic/treectrl.cpp
@@ -558,6 +558,11 @@ void wxTreeCtrl::Init()
       wxSystemSettings::GetSystemColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_HIGHLIGHT),
       wxSOLID
     );
+    m_normalBrush = new wxBrush
+    (
+      wxSystemSettings::GetSystemColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX),
+      wxSOLID
+    );
 
     m_imageListNormal =
     m_imageListState = (wxImageList *) NULL;
@@ -588,7 +593,7 @@ bool wxTreeCtrl::Create(wxWindow *parent, wxWindowID id,
     SetValidator( validator );
 #endif
 
-    SetBackgroundColour( *wxWHITE );
+    SetBackgroundColour( wxSystemSettings::GetSystemColour( wxSYS_COLOUR_LISTBOX ) );
 //  m_dottedPen = wxPen( "grey", 0, wxDOT );  too slow under XFree86
     m_dottedPen = wxPen( "grey", 0, 0 );
 
@@ -598,6 +603,7 @@ bool wxTreeCtrl::Create(wxWindow *parent, wxWindowID id,
 wxTreeCtrl::~wxTreeCtrl()
 {
     wxDELETE( m_hilightBrush );
+    wxDELETE( m_normalBrush );
 
     DeleteAllItems();
 
@@ -1621,7 +1627,7 @@ void wxTreeCtrl::PaintLevel( wxGenericTreeItem *item, wxDC &dc, int level, int &
             else
                 colText = *wxBLACK;
 
-            brush = wxWHITE_BRUSH;
+            brush = m_normalBrush;
         }
 
         // prepare to draw