diff --git a/res/values/attrs.xml b/res/values/attrs.xml
index 528c9c39a..9647e350d 100644
--- a/res/values/attrs.xml
+++ b/res/values/attrs.xml
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@
         <attr name="textColorPrimaryRecipientDropdown" format="reference" />
         <attr name="textColorSecondaryRecipientDropdown" format="reference" />
         <attr name="backgroundColorChooseAccountHeader" format="color" />
+        <attr name="messageListReadItemBackgroundColor" format="reference|color"/>
+        <attr name="messageListUnreadItemBackgroundColor" format="reference|color"/>
     </declare-styleable>
 
-</resources>
\ No newline at end of file
+</resources>
diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index 62ceb773d..448cc7b44 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -1147,4 +1147,7 @@ http://k9mail.googlecode.com/
     <string name="pull_to_refresh_remote_search_from_local_search_pull">Pull to search server…</string>
     <string name="pull_to_refresh_remote_search_from_local_search_release">Release to search server…</string>
     <string name="remote_search_unavailable_no_network">Remote search is unavailable without network connectivity.</string>
+
+    <string name="global_settings_background_as_unread_indicator_label">Use background as (un)read indicator</string>
+    <string name="global_settings_background_as_unread_indicator_summary">Show read and unread messages with different background colors</string>
 </resources>
diff --git a/res/values/themes.xml b/res/values/themes.xml
index c0a7d36e3..d5ed66241 100644
--- a/res/values/themes.xml
+++ b/res/values/themes.xml
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
         <item name="iconMenuShowFolders">@drawable/ic_show_folders</item>
         <item name="textColorPrimaryRecipientDropdown">@android:color/primary_text_light</item>
         <item name="textColorSecondaryRecipientDropdown">@android:color/secondary_text_light</item>
+        <item name="messageListReadItemBackgroundColor">#80cdcdcd</item>
+        <item name="messageListUnreadItemBackgroundColor">#00ffffff</item>
     </style>
 
     <style name="Theme.K9.Dark.Base" parent="Theme.Sherlock">
@@ -85,6 +87,8 @@
         <item name="iconMenuShowFolders">@drawable/ic_show_folders</item>
         <item name="textColorPrimaryRecipientDropdown">@android:color/primary_text_dark</item>
         <item name="textColorSecondaryRecipientDropdown">@android:color/secondary_text_dark</item>
+        <item name="messageListReadItemBackgroundColor">#00000000</item>
+        <item name="messageListUnreadItemBackgroundColor">#805a5a5a</item>
     </style>
 
     <style name="Theme.K9.Light" parent="Theme.K9.Light.Base">
diff --git a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
index 9d8b9e23a..12fb56f5b 100644
--- a/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
+++ b/res/xml/global_preferences.xml
@@ -137,6 +137,12 @@
                 android:dependency="messagelist_show_contact_name"
                 />
 
+            <CheckBoxPreference
+                android:persistent="false"
+                android:key="messagelist_background_as_unread_indicator"
+                android:title="@string/global_settings_background_as_unread_indicator_label"
+                android:summary="@string/global_settings_background_as_unread_indicator_summary"
+                />
 
         </PreferenceCategory>
 
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
index c99c97cc7..e6caa157e 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/K9.java
@@ -204,6 +204,8 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
     private static SortType mSortType;
     private static HashMap<SortType, Boolean> mSortAscending = new HashMap<SortType, Boolean>();
 
+    private static boolean sUseBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator = true;
+
     /**
      * The MIME type(s) of attachments we're willing to view.
      */
@@ -469,6 +471,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
         editor.putString("notificationHideSubject", sNotificationHideSubject.toString());
 
         editor.putString("attachmentdefaultpath", mAttachmentDefaultPath);
+        editor.putBoolean("useBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator", sUseBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator);
         fontSizes.save(editor);
     }
 
@@ -637,6 +640,7 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
         }
 
         mAttachmentDefaultPath = sprefs.getString("attachmentdefaultpath",  Environment.getExternalStorageDirectory().toString());
+        sUseBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator = sprefs.getBoolean("useBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator", true);
         fontSizes.load(sprefs);
 
         try {
@@ -1116,4 +1120,11 @@ public class K9 extends Application {
         mSortAscending.put(sortType, sortAscending);
     }
 
+    public static synchronized boolean useBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator() {
+        return sUseBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator;
+    }
+
+    public static synchronized void setUseBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator(boolean enabled) {
+        sUseBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator = enabled;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
index 9210cb62a..bad8c5b80 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/MessageList.java
@@ -2493,14 +2493,15 @@ public class MessageList extends K9ListActivity implements OnItemClickListener,
             holder.chip.setBackgroundDrawable(message.message.getFolder().getAccount().generateColorChip(message.read,message.message.toMe(), false, message.flagged).drawable());
 
             }
-//            if (K9.getK9Theme() == K9.THEME_LIGHT) {
-//                // Light theme: light grey background for read messages
-//                view.setBackgroundColor(message.read ?
-//                        Color.rgb(230, 230, 230) : Color.rgb(255, 255, 255));
-//            } else {
-//                // Dark theme: dark grey background for unread messages
-//                view.setBackgroundColor(message.read ? 0 : Color.rgb(45, 45, 45));
-//            }
+
+            if (K9.useBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator()) {
+                int res = (message.read) ? R.attr.messageListReadItemBackgroundColor :
+                        R.attr.messageListUnreadItemBackgroundColor;
+
+                TypedValue outValue = new TypedValue();
+                getTheme().resolveAttribute(res, outValue, true);
+                view.setBackgroundColor(outValue.data);
+            }
 
             String subject = null;
 
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
index ba036e501..588de7701 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/setup/Prefs.java
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
     private static final String PREFERENCE_SENSITIVE_LOGGING = "sensitive_logging";
 
     private static final String PREFERENCE_ATTACHMENT_DEF_PATH = "attachment_default_path";
+    private static final String PREFERENCE_BACKGROUND_AS_UNREAD_INDICATOR = "messagelist_background_as_unread_indicator";
 
     private static final int ACTIVITY_CHOOSE_FOLDER = 1;
     private ListPreference mLanguage;
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
     private CheckBoxPreference mBatchButtonsMove;
     private CheckBoxPreference mBatchButtonsFlag;
     private CheckBoxPreference mBatchButtonsUnselect;
+    private CheckBoxPreference mBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator;
 
     public static void actionPrefs(Context context) {
         Intent i = new Intent(context, Prefs.class);
@@ -223,6 +225,9 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
         mShowContactName = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_SHOW_CONTACT_NAME);
         mShowContactName.setChecked(K9.showContactName());
 
+        mBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_BACKGROUND_AS_UNREAD_INDICATOR);
+        mBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator.setChecked(K9.useBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator());
+
         mChangeContactNameColor = (CheckBoxPreference)findPreference(PREFERENCE_MESSAGELIST_CONTACT_NAME_COLOR);
         mChangeContactNameColor.setChecked(K9.changeContactNameColor());
         if (K9.changeContactNameColor()) {
@@ -406,6 +411,7 @@ public class Prefs extends K9PreferenceActivity {
         K9.setShowCorrespondentNames(mShowCorrespondentNames.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageListSenderAboveSubject(mSenderAboveSubject.isChecked());
         K9.setShowContactName(mShowContactName.isChecked());
+        K9.setUseBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator(mBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator.isChecked());
         K9.setChangeContactNameColor(mChangeContactNameColor.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageViewFixedWidthFont(mFixedWidth.isChecked());
         K9.setMessageViewReturnToList(mReturnToList.isChecked());
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java
index 87d27f792..e49face93 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/GlobalSettings.java
@@ -216,6 +216,9 @@ public class GlobalSettings {
                 new V(12, new EnumSetting(NotificationHideSubject.class,
                         NotificationHideSubject.NEVER))
             ));
+        s.put("useBackgroundAsUnreadIndicator", Settings.versions(
+                new V(19, new BooleanSetting(true))
+            ));
 
         SETTINGS = Collections.unmodifiableMap(s);
 
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/Settings.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/Settings.java
index b3b508f9f..725c562f7 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/Settings.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/preferences/Settings.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class Settings {
      *
      * @see SettingsExporter
      */
-    public static final int VERSION = 18;
+    public static final int VERSION = 19;
 
     public static Map<String, Object> validate(int version, Map<String,
             TreeMap<Integer, SettingsDescription>> settings,