diff --git a/libs/widgets/ardour_icon.cc b/libs/widgets/ardour_icon.cc
index f4eef3d71b..dbf61610ca 100644
--- a/libs/widgets/ardour_icon.cc
+++ b/libs/widgets/ardour_icon.cc
@@ -1814,15 +1814,7 @@ static void icon_tape_reel (cairo_t *cr, const int width, const int height, cons
 	cairo_translate (cr, x, y);
 
 	cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, r, 0, 2 * M_PI);
-	if (state == Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive) {
-		cairo_set_source_rgba (cr, .9, .3, .3, 1.0);
-	}
-	else if (state == Gtkmm2ext::ImplicitActive) {
-		Gtkmm2ext::set_source_rgba (cr, fg_color);
-	}
-	else {
-		Gtkmm2ext::set_source_rgba (cr, fg_color);
-	}
+	Gtkmm2ext::set_source_rgba (cr, fg_color);
 	cairo_fill_preserve (cr);
 
 	if (is_dark (fg_color) && state == Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive) {
@@ -1866,15 +1858,7 @@ static void icon_tape_reel (cairo_t *cr, const int width, const int height, cons
 	cairo_restore (cr);
 
 	cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, r * .3, 0, 2 * M_PI);
-	if (state == Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive) {
-		cairo_set_source_rgba (cr, .9, .3, .3, 1.0);
-	}
-	else if (state == Gtkmm2ext::ImplicitActive) {
-		Gtkmm2ext::set_source_rgba (cr, fg_color);
-	}
-	else {
-		Gtkmm2ext::set_source_rgba (cr, fg_color);
-	}
+	Gtkmm2ext::set_source_rgba (cr, fg_color);
 	cairo_fill (cr);
 	cairo_set_source_rgba (cr, .0, .0, .0, 1.0);
 	cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, r *.15, 0, 2 * M_PI); // hole in the middle
diff --git a/tools/icons/icon.cc b/tools/icons/icon.cc
index 4a0421418c..7ccffe087f 100644
--- a/tools/icons/icon.cc
+++ b/tools/icons/icon.cc
@@ -209,8 +209,6 @@ main (int argc, char** argv)
 
 	draw_icon (cr, pos++, ArdourIcon::RecButton, Gtkmm2ext::Off);
 	draw_icon (cr, pos++, ArdourIcon::RecButton, Gtkmm2ext::ImplicitActive);
-	draw_icon (cr, pos++, ArdourIcon::TapeReel, Gtkmm2ext::Off);
-	draw_icon (cr, pos++, ArdourIcon::TapeReel, Gtkmm2ext::ImplicitActive);
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < ArdourIcon::NoIcon; ++i) {
 		draw_icon (cr, pos++, ArdourIcon::Icon (i), Gtkmm2ext::ExplicitActive);