diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf b/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf
index e2ee309d97..f20d942665 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour3_ui_default.conf
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@
     <Option name="recorded waveform fill" value="ffffffff"/>
     <Option name="recorded waveform outline" value="0f0f1fff"/>
     <Option name="rubber band rect" value="c6c6c659"/>
+    <Option name="shuttle" value="6bb620ff"/>
     <Option name="silence" value="9efffd7a"/>
     <Option name="silence text" value="0e066cff"/>
     <Option name="selected crossfade editor line" value="00dbdbff"/>
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h b/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
index 2c0d6c234b..b8bb1f8608 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/canvas_vars.h
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_SelectedWaveFormFill, "selected waveform fill")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_SelectedWaveForm, "selected waveform outline")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_SelectionRect, "selection rect")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_Selection, "selection")
+CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_Shuttle, "shuttle")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_Silence, "silence")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_SilenceText, "silence text")
 CANVAS_VARIABLE(canvasvar_MonoPannerOutline, "mono panner outline")
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/shuttle_control.cc b/gtk2_ardour/shuttle_control.cc
index 3a0572cd69..c4c1da6aeb 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/shuttle_control.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/shuttle_control.cc
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "gtkmm2ext/gui_thread.h"
 
 #include "ardour_ui.h"
+#include "rgb_macros.h"
 #include "shuttle_control.h"
 
 #include "i18n.h"
@@ -103,8 +104,13 @@ ShuttleControl::on_size_allocate (Gtk::Allocation& alloc)
 	
 	/* add 3 color stops */
 
+	uint32_t col = ARDOUR_UI::config()->canvasvar_Shuttle.get();
+
+	int r,b,g,a;
+	UINT_TO_RGBA(col, &r, &g, &b, &a);
+
 	cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgb (pattern, 0.0, 0, 0, 0);
-	cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgb (pattern, 0.5, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+	cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgb (pattern, 0.5, r/255.0, g/255.0, b/255.0);
 	cairo_pattern_add_color_stop_rgb (pattern, 1.0, 0, 0, 0);
 
 	DrawingArea::on_size_allocate (alloc);