diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.cc
index 4cfa5f2562..ab8ae7783b 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.cc
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ using namespace std;
 ArdourButton::Element ArdourButton::default_elements = ArdourButton::Element (ArdourButton::Edge|ArdourButton::Body|ArdourButton::Text);
 ArdourButton::Element ArdourButton::led_default_elements = ArdourButton::Element (ArdourButton::default_elements|ArdourButton::Indicator);
 ArdourButton::Element ArdourButton::just_led_default_elements = ArdourButton::Element (ArdourButton::Edge|ArdourButton::Body|ArdourButton::Indicator);
-bool ArdourButton::_flat_buttons = false;
 
 ArdourButton::ArdourButton (Element e)
 	: _elements (e)
@@ -398,15 +397,17 @@ ArdourButton::render (cairo_t* cr, cairo_rectangle_t *)
 		}
 		
 		//inset
-		cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, _diameter/2, 0, 2 * M_PI);
-		cairo_set_source (cr, led_inset_pattern);
-		cairo_fill (cr);
-		
+		if (!_flat_buttons) {
+			cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, _diameter/2, 0, 2 * M_PI);
+			cairo_set_source (cr, led_inset_pattern);
+			cairo_fill (cr);
+		}
+
 		//black ring
 		cairo_set_source_rgb (cr, 0, 0, 0);
-		cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, _diameter/2-2, 0, 2 * M_PI);
+		cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, _diameter/2-1, 0, 2 * M_PI);
 		cairo_fill(cr);
-		
+
 		//led color
 		ArdourCanvas::set_source_rgba (cr, led_color);
 		cairo_arc (cr, 0, 0, _diameter/2-3, 0, 2 * M_PI);
@@ -977,9 +978,3 @@ ArdourButton::add_elements (Element e)
 {
 	_elements = (ArdourButton::Element) (_elements | e);
 }
-
-void
-ArdourButton::set_flat_buttons (bool yn)
-{
-	_flat_buttons = yn;
-}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.h
index d36445d181..bb0cbfed1e 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_button.h
@@ -45,9 +45,6 @@ class ArdourButton : public CairoWidget , public Gtkmm2ext::Activatable
 	static Element led_default_elements;
 	static Element just_led_default_elements;
 
-	static void set_flat_buttons (bool yn);
-	static bool flat_buttons() { return _flat_buttons; }
-
 	ArdourButton (Element e = default_elements);
 	ArdourButton (const std::string&, Element e = default_elements);
 	virtual ~ArdourButton ();
@@ -157,8 +154,6 @@ class ArdourButton : public CairoWidget , public Gtkmm2ext::Activatable
 	bool _focused;
 	bool _fixed_colors_set;
     
-	static bool _flat_buttons;
-
 	void setup_led_rect ();
 	void set_colors ();
 	void color_handler ();
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
index 73982bb436..f75d9276ce 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.cc
@@ -312,6 +312,9 @@ ARDOUR_UI::ARDOUR_UI (int *argcp, char **argvp[], const char* localedir)
 
 	ARDOUR::GUIIdle.connect (forever_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, boost::bind(&ARDOUR_UI::gui_idle_handler, this), gui_context());
 
+	Config->ParameterChanged.connect ( forever_connections, MISSING_INVALIDATOR, boost::bind(&ARDOUR_UI::set_flat_buttons, this), gui_context() );
+	set_flat_buttons();
+
 	/* lets get this party started */
 
 	setup_gtk_ardour_enums ();
@@ -4493,3 +4496,9 @@ ARDOUR_UI::transport_numpad_event (int num)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+void
+ARDOUR_UI::set_flat_buttons ()
+{
+	CairoWidget::set_flat_buttons( config()->get_flat_buttons() );
+}
diff --git a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
index 721d2be4bb..3a4ffe6085 100644
--- a/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
+++ b/gtk2_ardour/ardour_ui.h
@@ -466,6 +466,8 @@ class ARDOUR_UI : public Gtkmm2ext::UI, public ARDOUR::SessionHandlePtr
 	void sync_blink (bool);
 	void audition_blink (bool);
 	void feedback_blink (bool);
+	
+	void set_flat_buttons();
 
 	void soloing_changed (bool);
 	void auditioning_changed (bool);
diff --git a/libs/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.cc b/libs/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.cc
index 47c0fdb9c1..033a66f908 100644
--- a/libs/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.cc
+++ b/libs/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,17 @@
 
 static const char* has_cairo_widget_background_info = "has_cairo_widget_background_info";
 
+bool CairoWidget::_flat_buttons = false;
+
+void CairoWidget::set_source_rgb_a( cairo_t* cr, Gdk::Color col, float a)  //ToDo:  this one and the Canvas version should be in a shared file (?)
+{
+	float r = col.get_red_p ();
+	float g = col.get_green_p ();
+	float b = col.get_blue_p ();
+	
+	cairo_set_source_rgba(cr, r, g, b, a);
+}
+
 CairoWidget::CairoWidget ()
 	: _active_state (Gtkmm2ext::Off)
 	, _visual_state (Gtkmm2ext::NoVisualState)
@@ -186,3 +197,9 @@ CairoWidget::provide_background_for_cairo_widget (Gtk::Widget& w, const Gdk::Col
 
 	g_object_set_data (G_OBJECT(w.gobj()), has_cairo_widget_background_info, (void*) 0xfeedface);
 }
+
+void
+CairoWidget::set_flat_buttons (bool yn)
+{
+	_flat_buttons = yn;
+}
diff --git a/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.h b/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.h
index fff63b9ed9..9f0487798a 100644
--- a/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.h
+++ b/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/cairo_widget.h
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@ public:
 
 	virtual void render (cairo_t *, cairo_rectangle_t*) = 0;
 
+	static void set_flat_buttons (bool yn);
+	static bool flat_buttons() { return _flat_buttons; }
+
+	static void set_source_rgb_a( cairo_t* cr, Gdk::Color, float a=1.0 );
+
 protected:
 	/** Render the widget to the given Cairo context */
 	virtual bool on_expose_event (GdkEventExpose *);
@@ -85,7 +90,8 @@ protected:
 	Gtkmm2ext::ActiveState _active_state;
 	Gtkmm2ext::VisualState _visual_state;
 	bool                   _need_bg;
-	
+
+	static bool	_flat_buttons;
 	bool		_grabbed;
 
   private: