diff --git a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBEditorTabsPainter.java b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBEditorTabsPainter.java
index 39a925efaa1a..492641ba105a 100644
--- a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBEditorTabsPainter.java
+++ b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ui/tabs/impl/JBEditorTabsPainter.java
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ import java.awt.*;
 /**
  * @author Konstantin Bulenkov
  */
-abstract class JBEditorTabsPainter {
+public abstract class JBEditorTabsPainter {
+  protected Color myDefaultTabColor;
+
   public abstract void doPaintInactive(Graphics2D g2d,
                        Rectangle effectiveBounds,
                        int x,
@@ -94,4 +96,8 @@ abstract class JBEditorTabsPainter {
   public Color getEmptySpaceColor() {
     return UIUtil.isUnderAquaLookAndFeel() ? Gray.xC8 : UIUtil.getPanelBackground();
   }
+
+  public void setDefaultTabColor(Color color) {
+    myDefaultTabColor = color;
+  }
 }