diff --git a/include/wx/msw/scrolbar.h b/include/wx/msw/scrolbar.h
index 4f45dc975b..5c269fbcde 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/scrolbar.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/scrolbar.h
@@ -57,10 +57,11 @@ public:
     virtual bool MSWOnScroll(int orientation, WXWORD wParam,
                              WXWORD pos, WXHWND control);
 
-protected:
+    // override wxControl version to not use solid background here
+    virtual WXHBRUSH MSWControlColor(WXHDC pDC, WXHWND hWnd);
 
-    virtual WXHBRUSH DoMSWControlColor(WXHDC pDC, wxColour colBg, WXHWND hWnd);
-    wxSize DoGetBestSize() const;
+protected:
+    virtual wxSize DoGetBestSize() const;
     virtual WXDWORD MSWGetStyle(long style, WXDWORD *exstyle) const;
 
     int m_pageSize;
diff --git a/src/msw/scrolbar.cpp b/src/msw/scrolbar.cpp
index 48e10b9d71..dc5329af33 100644
--- a/src/msw/scrolbar.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/scrolbar.cpp
@@ -344,16 +344,13 @@ WXDWORD wxScrollBar::MSWGetStyle(long style, WXDWORD *exstyle) const
     return msStyle;
 }
 
-WXHBRUSH wxScrollBar::DoMSWControlColor(WXHDC pDC, wxColour colBg, WXHWND hWnd)
+WXHBRUSH wxScrollBar::MSWControlColor(WXHDC pDC, WXHWND hWnd)
 {
-    HDC hdc = (HDC)pDC;
-    if ( m_hasFgCol )
-    {
-        ::SetTextColor(hdc, wxColourToRGB(GetForegroundColour()));
-    }
-
-    WXHBRUSH hbr = 0;
-    return hbr;
+    // unless we have an explicitly set bg colour, use default (gradient under
+    // XP) brush instead of GetBackgroundColour() one as the base class would
+    //
+    // note that fg colour isn't used for a scrollbar
+    return UseBgCol() ? wxControl::MSWControlColor(pDC, hWnd) : NULL;
 }
 
 #endif // wxUSE_SCROLLBAR