diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc b/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc
index 911606b18d..a884c2c10d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/meter_strip.cc
@@ -357,7 +357,6 @@ void
 MeterStrip::set_button_names()
 {
 	mute_button->set_text (_("M"));
-	rec_enable_button->set_markup ("<span color=\"#f46f6f\">\u25CF</span>");
 
 	if (_route && _route->solo_safe()) {
 		solo_button->set_visual_state (Gtkmm2ext::VisualState (solo_button->visual_state() | Gtkmm2ext::Insensitive));
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/route_time_axis.cc b/gtk2_ardour/route_time_axis.cc
index 9a679cb256..8923dfddb2 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/route_time_axis.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/route_time_axis.cc
@@ -173,10 +173,8 @@ RouteTimeAxisView::set_route (boost::shared_ptr<Route> rt)
 		case ARDOUR::Normal:
 		case ARDOUR::NonLayered:
 			rec_enable_button->set_image (Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::Pixbuf>());
-			rec_enable_button->set_markup ("<span color=\"#f46f6f\">\u25CF</span>");
 			break;
 		case ARDOUR::Destructive:
-			rec_enable_button->set_text (string());
 			rec_enable_button->set_image (::get_icon (X_("record_tape_red")));
 			break;
 		}
@@ -862,10 +860,8 @@ RouteTimeAxisView::set_track_mode (TrackMode mode, bool apply_to_selection)
 		case ARDOUR::NonLayered:
 		case ARDOUR::Normal:
 			rec_enable_button->set_image (Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::Pixbuf>());
-			rec_enable_button->set_markup ("<span color=\"#f46f6f\">\u25CF</span>");
 			break;
 		case ARDOUR::Destructive:
-			rec_enable_button->set_text (string());
 			rec_enable_button->set_image (::get_icon (X_("record_tape_red")));
 			break;
 		}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
index b8073881c1..d2dc147ead 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/route_ui.cc
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ RouteUI::init ()
 
 	rec_enable_button = manage (new ArdourButton);
 	rec_enable_button->set_name ("record enable button");
-	rec_enable_button->set_markup ("<span weight=\"bold\" color=\"#f46f6f\">\u2B24</span>");
+	rec_enable_button->set_elements ((ArdourButton::Element)(ArdourButton::Edge|ArdourButton::Body|ArdourButton::RecButton));
 	UI::instance()->set_tip (rec_enable_button, _("Enable recording on this track"), "");
 
 	rec_blink_connection = ARDOUR_UI::instance()->Blink.connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &RouteUI::blink_rec_display));