Index: channels/search.py
==================================================================
--- channels/search.py
+++ channels/search.py
@@ -166,16 +166,18 @@
         # config.quicksearch_fields
         text = text.lower()
 
         # simple string match (probably doesn't need full search expression support)
         if len(q) and text.find(q) >= 0:
-           model.set_value(iter, color, "#fe9")  # highlighting color
-           model.set_value(iter, flag, True) # background-set flag
+            model.set_value(iter, color, "#fe9")  # highlighting color
+            model.set_value(iter, flag, True) # background-set flag
         # color = 12 in liststore, flag = 13th position
         else:
-           model.set_value(iter, color, "")   # for some reason the cellrenderer colors get applied to all rows, even if we specify an iter (=treelist position?, not?)
-           model.set_value(iter, flag, False)   # that's why we need the secondary -set option
+            normal_bg = uikit.get_bg_color(self.main.channel().gtk_list)
+            #normal_bg = "#ffffff"
+            model.set_value(iter, color, normal_bg)   # for some reason the cellrenderer colors get applied to all rows, even if we specify an iter (=treelist position?, not?)
+            model.set_value(iter, flag, False)   # that's why we need the secondary -set option
 
         #??
         return False
 
 

Index: uikit.py
==================================================================
--- uikit.py
+++ uikit.py
@@ -164,17 +164,18 @@
                 int: 0,
                 gtk.gdk.Pixbuf: empty_pixbuf
             }
             if gtk.gdk.Pixbuf in vartypes:
                 pix_entry = vartypes.index(gtk.gdk.Pixbuf) 
-            
+
+            normal_bg = uikit.get_bg_color(widget)
             # sort data into gtk liststore array
             for row in entries:
 
                 # preset some values if absent
                 row.setdefault("deleted", False)
-                row.setdefault("search_col", "#ffffff")
+                row.setdefault("search_col", normal_bg) #ffffff
                 row.setdefault("search_set", False)
 
                 # generate ordered list from dictionary, using rowmap association
                 row = [   row.get( skey , defaults[vartypes[i]] )   for i,skey   in enumerate(rowmap)   ]
 
@@ -207,10 +208,20 @@
             return ls, rowmap, pix_entry
             
         pass
 
 
+    # figure out standard background
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_bg_color(widget):
+        try:
+            # Gtk3 only
+            normal_bg = widget.get_style_context().get_background_color(gtk.StateType.NORMAL)
+            normal_bg = normal_bg.to_string()
+        except:
+            normal_bg = "#ffffff"  # Gtk2 default
+        return normal_bg
 
 
     #-- treeview for categories
     #
     # simple two-level treeview display in one column