diff --git a/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/EditorColorsSchemeImpl.java b/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/EditorColorsSchemeImpl.java
index 008986aee6c1..c179a03cadec 100644
--- a/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/EditorColorsSchemeImpl.java
+++ b/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/EditorColorsSchemeImpl.java
@@ -34,10 +34,8 @@ public class EditorColorsSchemeImpl extends AbstractColorsScheme implements Exte
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void setAttributes(@NotNull TextAttributesKey key, TextAttributes attributes) {
-    if (attributes == USE_INHERITED_MARKER || !attributes.equals(getAttributes(key))) {
-      myAttributesMap.put(key, attributes);
-    }
+  public void setAttributes(@NotNull TextAttributesKey key, @NotNull TextAttributes attributes) {
+    setAttributes(key, attributes, false);
   }
 
   public void setAttributes(@NotNull TextAttributesKey key, @NotNull TextAttributes attributes, boolean force) {
@@ -56,17 +54,17 @@ public class EditorColorsSchemeImpl extends AbstractColorsScheme implements Exte
   @Override
   public TextAttributes getAttributes(@Nullable TextAttributesKey key) {
     if (key != null) {
-      TextAttributesKey fallbackKey = key.getFallbackAttributeKey();
       TextAttributes attributes = getDirectlyDefinedAttributes(key);
-      if (fallbackKey != null) {
-        if (attributes != null && attributes != USE_INHERITED_MARKER) {
-          return attributes;
-        }
-        attributes = getFallbackAttributes(fallbackKey);
+      if (attributes != null && attributes != USE_INHERITED_MARKER) {
+        return attributes;
       }
 
-      if (attributes != null) {
-        return attributes;
+      TextAttributesKey fallbackKey = key.getFallbackAttributeKey();
+      if (fallbackKey != null) {
+        attributes = getFallbackAttributes(fallbackKey);
+        if (attributes != null) {
+          return attributes;
+        }
       }
     }
     return myParentScheme.getAttributes(key);
diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/ColorAndFontOptions.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/ColorAndFontOptions.java
index 5dba2da46dac..a225d6c0930a 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/ColorAndFontOptions.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/ColorAndFontOptions.java
@@ -841,7 +841,14 @@ public class ColorAndFontOptions extends SearchableConfigurable.Parent.Abstract
       }
 
       if (scheme instanceof EditorColorsSchemeImpl) {
-        ((EditorColorsSchemeImpl)scheme).setAttributes(key, isInherited() ? USE_INHERITED_MARKER : getTextAttributes(), !isInherited() && myIsInheritedInitial);
+        if (!isInherited()) {
+          ((EditorColorsSchemeImpl)scheme).setAttributes(key, getTextAttributes(), myIsInheritedInitial);
+        }
+        else if (!myIsInheritedInitial) {
+          // set only if previously was not inherited (and, so, we must mark it as inherited)
+          // https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-162844
+          scheme.setAttributes(key, USE_INHERITED_MARKER);
+        }
       }
       else {
         scheme.setAttributes(key, isInherited() ? USE_INHERITED_MARKER : getTextAttributes());