diff --git a/res/values/attrs.xml b/res/values/attrs.xml
index 7fa1032e9..0ab5e116a 100644
--- a/res/values/attrs.xml
+++ b/res/values/attrs.xml
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
         <attr name="messageListUnreadItemBackgroundColor" format="reference|color"/>
         <attr name="messageListThreadCountForegroundColor" format="reference|color"/>
         <attr name="messageListThreadCountBackground" format="reference|color"/>
+        <attr name="messageListActiveItemBackgroundColor" format="reference|color"/>
 
     </declare-styleable>
 
diff --git a/res/values/themes.xml b/res/values/themes.xml
index 7e10e1f56..0c9ea41be 100644
--- a/res/values/themes.xml
+++ b/res/values/themes.xml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
         <item name="messageListUnreadItemBackgroundColor">#00ffffff</item>
         <item name="messageListThreadCountForegroundColor">?android:attr/colorBackground</item>
         <item name="messageListThreadCountBackground">@drawable/thread_count_box_light</item>
+        <item name="messageListActiveItemBackgroundColor">#ff2ea7d1</item>
     </style>
 
     <style name="Theme.K9.Dark.Base" parent="Theme.Sherlock">
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@
         <item name="messageListUnreadItemBackgroundColor">#805a5a5a</item>
         <item name="messageListThreadCountForegroundColor">?android:attr/colorBackground</item>
         <item name="messageListThreadCountBackground">@drawable/thread_count_box_dark</item>
+        <item name="messageListActiveItemBackgroundColor">#ff33b5e5</item>
     </style>
 
     <style name="Theme.K9.Light" parent="Theme.K9.Light.Base">
@@ -131,5 +133,5 @@
         <item name="android:windowNoTitle">true</item>
         <item name="android:windowContentOverlay">@null</item>
         <item name="android:windowAnimationStyle">@android:style/Animation.Translucent</item>
-	</style>
+    </style>
 </resources>
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
index 44c164e77..cf3a45b15 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
@@ -627,6 +627,8 @@ public class MessageList extends K9FragmentActivity implements MessageListFragme
             ft.replace(R.id.message_view_container, fragment);
             mMessageViewFragment = fragment;
             ft.commit();
+
+            mMessageListFragment.setActiveMessage(messageReference);
         }
     }
 
@@ -763,6 +765,8 @@ public class MessageList extends K9FragmentActivity implements MessageListFragme
         if (mMessageViewPlaceHolder.getParent() == null) {
             mMessageViewContainer.addView(mMessageViewPlaceHolder);
         }
+
+        mMessageListFragment.setActiveMessage(null);
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java
index 92452f01f..2666f3cd1 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/fragment/MessageListFragment.java
@@ -310,6 +310,7 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
     private static final String ARG_IS_THREAD_DISPLAY = "isThreadedDisplay";
 
     private static final String STATE_SELECTED_MESSAGES = "selectedMessages";
+    private static final String STATE_ACTIVE_MESSAGE = "activeMessage";
     private static final String STATE_REMOTE_SEARCH_PERFORMED = "remoteSearchPerformed";
 
     /**
@@ -413,6 +414,8 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
 
     private Preferences mPreferences;
 
+    private MessageReference mActiveMessage;
+
     /**
      * This class is used to run operations that modify UI elements in the UI thread.
      *
@@ -751,6 +754,7 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
         saveSelectedMessages(outState);
 
         outState.putBoolean(STATE_REMOTE_SEARCH_PERFORMED, mRemoteSearchPerformed);
+        outState.putParcelable(STATE_ACTIVE_MESSAGE, mActiveMessage);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -766,6 +770,7 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
         restoreSelectedMessages(savedInstanceState);
 
         mRemoteSearchPerformed = savedInstanceState.getBoolean(STATE_REMOTE_SEARCH_PERFORMED);
+        mActiveMessage = savedInstanceState.getParcelable(STATE_ACTIVE_MESSAGE);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1751,6 +1756,21 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
                 view.setBackgroundColor(outValue.data);
             }
 
+            if (mActiveMessage != null) {
+                String uid = cursor.getString(UID_COLUMN);
+                String folderName = cursor.getString(FOLDER_NAME_COLUMN);
+
+                if (account.getUuid().equals(mActiveMessage.accountUuid) &&
+                        folderName.equals(mActiveMessage.folderName) &&
+                        uid.equals(mActiveMessage.uid)) {
+                    int res = R.attr.messageListActiveItemBackgroundColor;
+
+                    TypedValue outValue = new TypedValue();
+                    getActivity().getTheme().resolveAttribute(res, outValue, true);
+                    view.setBackgroundColor(outValue.data);
+                }
+            }
+
             // Thread count
             if (threadCount > 1) {
                 holder.threadCount.setText(Integer.toString(threadCount));
@@ -3135,4 +3155,22 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends SherlockFragment implements OnItemClick
     private void remoteSearchFinished() {
         mRemoteSearchFuture = null;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Mark a message as 'active'.
+     *
+     * <p>
+     * The active message is the one currently displayed in the message view portion of the split
+     * view.
+     * </p>
+     *
+     * @param messageReference
+     *         {@code null} to not mark any message as being 'active'.
+     */
+    public void setActiveMessage(MessageReference messageReference) {
+        mActiveMessage = messageReference;
+        if (mAdapter != null) {
+            mAdapter.notifyDataSetChanged();
+        }
+    }
 }