diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/waves_button.cc b/gtk2_ardour/waves_button.cc
index 14e11d8033..f8b58011d3 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/waves_button.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/waves_button.cc
@@ -117,8 +117,11 @@ WavesButton::render (cairo_t* cr, cairo_rectangle_t*)
 {
 	Glib::RefPtr<Gtk::Style> style = get_style();
 	
-	Gdk::Color bgcolor = style->get_bg ((get_state() == Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE) ? Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE : 
-											(get_active() ? Gtk::STATE_ACTIVE : Gtk::STATE_NORMAL));
+	Gdk::Color bgcolor = style->get_bg ((get_state() == Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE) ? Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE :
+												(_pushed ? (get_active() ? Gtk::STATE_NORMAL :
+																		   Gtk::STATE_ACTIVE) :
+														   (get_active() ? Gtk::STATE_ACTIVE :
+																		   Gtk::STATE_NORMAL)));
 
 	int width = get_width ();
 	int height = get_height();
@@ -180,11 +183,11 @@ WavesButton::render_text (cairo_t* cr)
 
 		cairo_new_path (cr);	
 
-		Gdk::Color fgcolor = style->get_fg ((get_state() == Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE) ? 
-											   Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE : 
-											   (get_active() ?
-												   Gtk::STATE_ACTIVE :
-												   Gtk::STATE_NORMAL));
+		Gdk::Color fgcolor = style->get_fg ((get_state() == Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE) ? Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE :
+												(_pushed ? (get_active() ? Gtk::STATE_NORMAL :
+																		   Gtk::STATE_ACTIVE) :
+														   (get_active() ? Gtk::STATE_ACTIVE :
+																		   Gtk::STATE_NORMAL)));
 
 		cairo_set_source_rgba (cr, fgcolor.get_red_p(), fgcolor.get_green_p(), fgcolor.get_blue_p(), 1);
 
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/waves_dropdown.cc b/gtk2_ardour/waves_dropdown.cc
index f4bbccdd0c..32619ea54d 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/waves_dropdown.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/waves_dropdown.cc
@@ -160,8 +160,12 @@ WavesDropdown::_on_popup_menu_position (int& x, int& y, bool& push_in)
 bool
 WavesDropdown::_on_mouse_pressed (GdkEventButton*)
 {
-	_menu.popup (sigc::mem_fun(this, &WavesDropdown::_on_popup_menu_position), 1, gtk_get_current_event_time());
 	_hovering = _pushed = false;
-	set_active (true);
+	if (!_menu.items ().empty ()) {
+		_menu.popup (sigc::mem_fun(this, &WavesDropdown::_on_popup_menu_position), 1, gtk_get_current_event_time());
+		set_active (true);
+	} else {
+		set_active (false);
+	}
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/waves_icon_button.cc b/gtk2_ardour/waves_icon_button.cc
index 0b3f02088a..a69b2b625b 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/waves_icon_button.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/waves_icon_button.cc
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ WavesIconButton::render (cairo_t* cr, cairo_rectangle_t*)
 
 	if (pixbuf == 0) {
 		pixbuf = (get_state() == Gtk::STATE_INSENSITIVE) ? 
-						(_inactive_pixbuf ? _inactive_pixbuf : _normal_pixbuf) : 
-						(get_active() ? (_active_pixbuf ? _active_pixbuf : _normal_pixbuf) :
-										_normal_pixbuf);
+						_inactive_pixbuf : 
+						(_pushed ? (get_active () ? _normal_pixbuf : _active_pixbuf) :
+								   (get_active () ? _active_pixbuf : _normal_pixbuf));
 	}
 
 	// pixbuf, if any