diff --git a/src/mac/carbon/dcclient.cpp b/src/mac/carbon/dcclient.cpp
index f28c6dc576..710a8f89f4 100644
--- a/src/mac/carbon/dcclient.cpp
+++ b/src/mac/carbon/dcclient.cpp
@@ -42,6 +42,61 @@ IMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxPaintDC, wxWindowDC)
  */
 
 #include "wx/mac/uma.h"
+#include "wx/notebook.h"
+#include "wx/tabctrl.h"
+    
+
+static wxBrush MacGetBackgroundBrush( wxWindow* window )
+{
+    wxBrush bkdBrush = window->MacGetBackgroundBrush() ;
+#if !TARGET_API_MAC_OSX
+    // transparency cannot be handled by the OS when not using composited windows
+    wxWindow* parent = window->GetParent() ;
+    // if we have some 'pseudo' transparency
+    if ( ! bkdBrush.Ok() || bkdBrush.GetStyle() == wxTRANSPARENT || window->GetBackgroundColour() == wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_3DFACE ) )
+    {
+        // walk up until we find something
+        while( parent != NULL )
+        {
+            if ( parent->GetBackgroundColour() != wxSystemSettings::GetColour(wxSYS_COLOUR_3DFACE ) )
+            {
+                // if we have any other colours in the hierarchy
+                bkdBrush.SetColour( parent->GetBackgroundColour() ) ;
+                break ;
+            }
+            if ( parent->IsKindOf( CLASSINFO(wxTopLevelWindow) ) )
+            {
+                bkdBrush = parent->MacGetBackgroundBrush() ;
+                break ;
+            }
+            if ( parent->IsKindOf( CLASSINFO( wxNotebook ) ) || parent->IsKindOf( CLASSINFO( wxTabCtrl ) ) )
+            {
+                Rect extent = { 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 } ;
+                int x , y ;
+                x = y = 0 ;
+                wxSize size = parent->GetSize() ;
+                parent->MacClientToRootWindow( &x , &y ) ;
+                extent.left = x ;
+                extent.top = y ;
+                extent.top-- ;
+                extent.right = x + size.x ;
+                extent.bottom = y + size.y ;
+                bkdBrush.MacSetThemeBackground( kThemeBackgroundTabPane , (WXRECTPTR) &extent ) ; 
+                break ;
+            }
+            
+            parent = parent->GetParent() ;  
+        }
+    }
+    if ( !bkdBrush.Ok() || bkdBrush.GetStyle() == wxTRANSPARENT )
+    {
+        // if we did not find something, use a default
+        bkdBrush.MacSetTheme( kThemeBrushDialogBackgroundActive ) ;
+    }
+#endif    
+    return bkdBrush ;
+}    
+
 
 wxWindowDC::wxWindowDC() 
 {
@@ -64,7 +119,7 @@ wxWindowDC::wxWindowDC(wxWindow *window)
     CopyRgn( (RgnHandle) m_macBoundaryClipRgn , (RgnHandle) m_macCurrentClipRgn ) ;
     m_macPort = UMAGetWindowPort( windowref ) ;
     m_ok = TRUE ;
-    SetBackground(window->MacGetBackgroundBrush());
+    SetBackground(MacGetBackgroundBrush(window));
 }
 
 wxWindowDC::~wxWindowDC()
@@ -110,7 +165,7 @@ wxClientDC::wxClientDC(wxWindow *window)
     m_macPort = UMAGetWindowPort( windowref ) ;
 
     m_ok = TRUE ;
-    SetBackground(window->MacGetBackgroundBrush());
+    SetBackground(MacGetBackgroundBrush(window));
     SetFont( window->GetFont() ) ;
 }
 
@@ -157,7 +212,7 @@ wxPaintDC::wxPaintDC(wxWindow *window)
     m_macPort = UMAGetWindowPort( windowref ) ;
 
     m_ok = TRUE ;
-    SetBackground(window->MacGetBackgroundBrush());
+    SetBackground(MacGetBackgroundBrush(window));
     SetFont( window->GetFont() ) ;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mac/carbon/window.cpp b/src/mac/carbon/window.cpp
index a6bb697f8f..6f21c231bb 100644
--- a/src/mac/carbon/window.cpp
+++ b/src/mac/carbon/window.cpp
@@ -505,14 +505,10 @@ pascal OSStatus wxMacSetupControlBackground( ControlRef iControl , SInt16 iMessa
                 wxWindow*  wx = (wxWindow*) wxFindControlFromMacControl( iControl ) ;
                 if ( wx != NULL )
                 {
-                    /*
                     const wxBrush &brush = wx->MacGetBackgroundBrush() ;
                     if  ( brush.Ok() )
                     {
-                        
                         wxDC::MacSetupBackgroundForCurrentPort( brush ) ;
-                        */
-                        // this clipping is only needed for non HIView
                         
                         RgnHandle clip = NewRgn() ;
                         int x = 0 , y = 0;
@@ -524,7 +520,6 @@ pascal OSStatus wxMacSetupControlBackground( ControlRef iControl , SInt16 iMessa
                         DisposeRgn( clip ) ;
 
                         status = noErr ;
-                        /*
                     }
                     else if ( wx->MacIsUserPane() )
                     {
@@ -532,7 +527,6 @@ pascal OSStatus wxMacSetupControlBackground( ControlRef iControl , SInt16 iMessa
                         // setup of our parent ourselves
                         status = SetUpControlBackground( (ControlRef) wx->GetParent()->GetHandle() , iDepth , iIsColor ) ;
                     }
-                    */
                 }
             }
             break ;
@@ -781,7 +775,7 @@ void wxWindowMac::MacPostControlCreate(const wxPoint& pos, const wxSize& size)
 #if !TARGET_API_MAC_OSX
     // eventually we can fix some clipping issues be reactivating this hook 
     //if ( m_macIsUserPane )
-    // SetControlColorProc( *m_peer , wxMacSetupControlBackgroundUPP ) ;
+    // SetControlColorProc( m_peer->GetControlRef() , wxMacSetupControlBackgroundUPP ) ;
 #endif
     m_peer->SetTitle( wxStripMenuCodes(m_label) ) ;
 
@@ -2040,11 +2034,13 @@ void wxWindowMac::WarpPointer (int x_pos, int y_pos)
 
 void wxWindowMac::OnEraseBackground(wxEraseEvent& event)
 {
+#if TARGET_API_MAC_OSX
     if ( m_macBackgroundBrush.Ok() == false || m_macBackgroundBrush.GetStyle() == wxTRANSPARENT )
     {
         event.Skip() ;
     }
     else
+#endif
         event.GetDC()->Clear() ;
 }