diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc
index bf8225628c..5c85cfbb56 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/audio_streamview.cc
@@ -111,14 +111,14 @@ AudioStreamView::create_region_view (std::shared_ptr<Region> r, bool wait_for_wa
 	case Normal:
 		if (recording) {
 			region_view = new AudioRegionView (_region_group, _trackview, region,
-							   _samples_per_pixel, region_color, recording, TimeAxisViewItem::Visibility(
+							   _samples_per_pixel, _region_color, recording, TimeAxisViewItem::Visibility(
 								   TimeAxisViewItem::ShowFrame |
 								   TimeAxisViewItem::HideFrameRight |
 								   TimeAxisViewItem::HideFrameLeft |
 								   TimeAxisViewItem::HideFrameTB));
 		} else {
 			region_view = new AudioRegionView (_region_group, _trackview, region,
-					_samples_per_pixel, region_color);
+					_samples_per_pixel, _region_color);
 		}
 		break;
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
index 8b00461dbd..41e3998be5 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/automation_streamview.cc
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ AutomationStreamView::add_region_view_internal (std::shared_ptr<Region> region,
 	region_view = new AutomationRegionView (
 		_canvas_group, _automation_view, region,
 		_automation_view.parameter (), list,
-		_samples_per_pixel, region_color
+		_samples_per_pixel, _region_color
 		);
 
 	region_view->init (false);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc
index 0027a88865..7080d59688 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_streamview.cc
@@ -122,11 +122,11 @@ MidiStreamView::create_region_view (std::shared_ptr<Region> r, bool /*wfd*/, boo
 	if (recording) {
 		region_view = new MidiRegionView (
 			_region_group, _trackview.editor(), _trackview, region,
-			_samples_per_pixel, StreamView::region_color, recording,
+			_samples_per_pixel, _region_color, recording,
 			TimeAxisViewItem::Visibility(TimeAxisViewItem::ShowFrame));
 	} else {
 		region_view = new MidiRegionView (_region_group, _trackview.editor(), _trackview, region,
-		                                  _samples_per_pixel, StreamView::region_color);
+		                                  _samples_per_pixel, _region_color);
 	}
 
 	region_view->init (false);
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view_background.h b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view_background.h
index b7caf82e06..869eeb000f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/midi_view_background.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/midi_view_background.h
@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ class MidiViewBackground : public virtual ViewBackground
 	ARDOUR::ColorMode color_mode() const { return _color_mode; }
 	void set_color_mode (ARDOUR::ColorMode);
 
-	Gtkmm2ext::Color region_color() const { return _region_color; }
-
 	void set_note_visibility_range_style (VisibleNoteRange r);
 	VisibleNoteRange visibility_range_style() const { return _visibility_note_range; }
 
@@ -152,7 +150,6 @@ class MidiViewBackground : public virtual ViewBackground
 	uint8_t                   _data_note_max; ///< in data
 	ArdourCanvas::RectSet*    _note_lines;
 	ARDOUR::NoteMode          _note_mode;
-	Gtkmm2ext::Color          _region_color;
 	ARDOUR::ColorMode         _color_mode;
 	VisibleNoteRange          _visibility_note_range;
 	bool                       note_range_set;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc b/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc
index e77a539985..add151cff2 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/streamview.cc
@@ -365,9 +365,9 @@ StreamView::apply_color (uint32_t color, ColorTarget target)
 
 	switch (target) {
 	case RegionColor:
-		region_color = color;
+		_region_color = color;
 		for (i = region_views.begin(); i != region_views.end(); ++i) {
-			(*i)->set_color (region_color);
+			(*i)->set_color (_region_color);
 		}
 		break;
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/streamview.h b/gtk2_ardour/streamview.h
index fb902de9ea..194c30da34 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/streamview.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/streamview.h
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ public:
 		StreamBaseColor
 	};
 
-	uint32_t get_region_color () const { return region_color; }
 	void     apply_color (uint32_t, ColorTarget t);
 	void     apply_color (Gdk::Color const &, ColorTarget t);
 
@@ -184,7 +183,6 @@ protected:
 	bool                    rec_updating;
 	bool                    rec_active;
 
-	uint32_t region_color;      ///< Contained region color
 	uint32_t stream_base_color; ///< Background color
 
 	PBD::ScopedConnectionList playlist_connections;
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/view_background.h b/gtk2_ardour/view_background.h
index 5ad54fd8a5..1fc029dd4f 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/view_background.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/view_background.h
@@ -47,7 +47,11 @@ class ViewBackground : public sigc::trackable
 	/** @return y position, or -1 if hidden */
 	virtual int y_position () const { return 0; }
 
+	Gtkmm2ext::Color region_color() const { return _region_color; }
+
   protected:
+	Gtkmm2ext::Color          _region_color;
+
 	virtual void update_contents_height () {}
 	virtual void color_handler () {}
 	virtual void parameter_changed (std::string const &) {}