diff --git a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/markup/TextAttributes.java b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/markup/TextAttributes.java
index 8d356e5bea48..d1adc7bfcb83 100644
--- a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/markup/TextAttributes.java
+++ b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/markup/TextAttributes.java
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@ public class TextAttributes implements Cloneable {
 
   public static final TextAttributes ERASE_MARKER = new TextAttributes();
 
-  private boolean myEnforcedDefaults;
+  private boolean myEnforceEmpty;
 
+  @SuppressWarnings("NullableProblems")
   @NotNull
   private AttributesFlyweight myAttrs;
 
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@ public class TextAttributes implements Cloneable {
 
   private TextAttributes(@NotNull AttributesFlyweight attributesFlyweight, boolean enforced) {
     myAttrs = attributesFlyweight;
-    myEnforcedDefaults = enforced;
+    myEnforceEmpty = enforced;
   }
 
   public TextAttributes(@NotNull Element element) {
@@ -97,11 +98,11 @@ public class TextAttributes implements Cloneable {
   }
 
   public boolean isFallbackEnabled() {
-    return isEmpty() && !myEnforcedDefaults;
+    return isEmpty() && !myEnforceEmpty;
   }
 
   public boolean containsValue() {
-    return !isEmpty() || myEnforcedDefaults;
+    return !isEmpty() || myEnforceEmpty;
   }
 
   public void reset() {
@@ -178,7 +179,7 @@ public class TextAttributes implements Cloneable {
 
   @Override
   public TextAttributes clone() {
-    return new TextAttributes(myAttrs, myEnforcedDefaults);
+    return new TextAttributes(myAttrs, myEnforceEmpty);
   }
 
   public boolean equals(Object obj) {
@@ -202,7 +203,7 @@ public class TextAttributes implements Cloneable {
     }
 
     if (isEmpty()) {
-      myEnforcedDefaults = true;
+      myEnforceEmpty = true;
     }
   }
 
@@ -216,7 +217,12 @@ public class TextAttributes implements Cloneable {
            getEffectColor() + "," + getErrorStripeColor() + "]";
   }
 
-  public void setEnforcedDefaults(boolean enforcedDefaults) {
-    myEnforcedDefaults = enforcedDefaults;
+  /**
+   * Enforces empty attributes instead of treating empty values as undefined.
+   *
+   * @param enforceEmpty True if empty values should be used as is (fallback is disabled).
+   */
+  public void setEnforceEmpty(boolean enforceEmpty) {
+    myEnforceEmpty = enforceEmpty;
   }
 }
diff --git a/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/TextAttributesReader.java b/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/TextAttributesReader.java
index f5414db1e973..39f2830ed2dc 100644
--- a/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/TextAttributesReader.java
+++ b/platform/editor-ui-ex/src/com/intellij/openapi/editor/colors/impl/TextAttributesReader.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ class TextAttributesReader extends ValueElementReader {
           FontStyle.read(this, element));
         // needed for compatibility with TextAttributes(Element)
         if (attributes.isEmpty()) {
-          attributes.setEnforcedDefaults(true);
+          attributes.setEnforceEmpty(true);
         }
       }
       //noinspection unchecked
diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/TextAttributesDescription.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/TextAttributesDescription.java
index 365e70006d9c..9d74f83dbbc8 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/TextAttributesDescription.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/application/options/colors/TextAttributesDescription.java
@@ -108,6 +108,6 @@ public abstract class TextAttributesDescription extends ColorAndFontDescription
   @Override
   public void setInherited(boolean isInherited) {
     super.setInherited(isInherited);
-    myAttributes.setEnforcedDefaults(!isInherited);
+    myAttributes.setEnforceEmpty(!isInherited);
   }
 }