diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/lookup/impl/LookupCellRenderer.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/lookup/impl/LookupCellRenderer.java
index 771e1a777742..d8ded3811954 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/lookup/impl/LookupCellRenderer.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/lookup/impl/LookupCellRenderer.java
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import com.intellij.ui.SimpleColoredComponent;
 import com.intellij.ui.SimpleTextAttributes;
 import com.intellij.ui.popup.PopupIcons;
 import com.intellij.util.ui.EmptyIcon;
+import com.intellij.util.ui.SameColor;
 import com.intellij.util.ui.UIUtil;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
@@ -153,7 +154,13 @@ public class LookupCellRenderer implements ListCellRenderer {
 
   private Color getItemBackground(JList list, int index, boolean isSelected) {
     final int preferredCount = myLookup.getPreferredItemsCount();
-    if (index <= preferredCount - 1 && preferredCount < list.getModel().getSize() - 1) {
+    final boolean isPreferred = index <= preferredCount - 1 && preferredCount < list.getModel().getSize() - 1;
+
+    if (!myLookup.isFocused()) {
+      return new SameColor(239);
+    }
+
+    if (isPreferred) {
       return isSelected ? SELECTED_BACKGROUND_COLOR : PREFERRED_BACKGROUND_COLOR;
     }
     return isSelected ? SELECTED_BACKGROUND_COLOR : BACKGROUND_COLOR;