diff --git a/res/drawable-hdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png b/res/drawable-hdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e20b02d52
Binary files /dev/null and b/res/drawable-hdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png differ
diff --git a/res/drawable-hdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png b/res/drawable-hdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cbf50b3a1
Binary files /dev/null and b/res/drawable-hdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png differ
diff --git a/res/drawable-mdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png b/res/drawable-mdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..13cb1317e
Binary files /dev/null and b/res/drawable-mdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png differ
diff --git a/res/drawable-mdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png b/res/drawable-mdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4ac1e30c
Binary files /dev/null and b/res/drawable-mdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png differ
diff --git a/res/drawable-xhdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png b/res/drawable-xhdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee5eb6ffa
Binary files /dev/null and b/res/drawable-xhdpi/list_selected_holo_light.9.png differ
diff --git a/res/drawable-xhdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png b/res/drawable-xhdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..78358fe1a
Binary files /dev/null and b/res/drawable-xhdpi/list_selector_background_selected.9.png differ
diff --git a/res/drawable/conversation_list_item_background_read.xml b/res/drawable/conversation_list_item_background_read.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dfc7f7820
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/drawable/conversation_list_item_background_read.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- Copyright (C) 2007 The Android Open Source Project
+
+     Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+     you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+     You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+          http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+     Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+     distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+     WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+     See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+     limitations under the License.
+-->
+
+<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
+    <item android:state_selected="true"
+        android:drawable="@android:color/transparent" />
+    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:state_selected="false"
+        android:drawable="@android:color/transparent" />
+    <item android:state_selected="false" android:state_activated="false"
+        android:drawable="@color/read_bgcolor" />
+    <item android:state_activated="true"
+        android:drawable="@drawable/list_selector_background_selected" />
+</selector>
diff --git a/res/drawable/conversation_list_item_background_unread.xml b/res/drawable/conversation_list_item_background_unread.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..042face30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/res/drawable/conversation_list_item_background_unread.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- Copyright (C) 2007 The Android Open Source Project
+
+     Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+     you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+     You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+          http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+     Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+     distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+     WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+     See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+     limitations under the License.
+-->
+
+<selector xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
+    <item android:state_selected="true"
+        android:drawable="@android:color/transparent" />
+    <item android:state_pressed="true" android:state_selected="false"
+        android:drawable="@android:color/transparent" />
+    <item android:state_selected="false" android:state_activated="false"
+        android:drawable="@color/unread_bgcolor" />
+    <item android:state_activated="true"
+        android:drawable="@drawable/list_selector_background_selected" />
+</selector>
diff --git a/res/values/colors.xml b/res/values/colors.xml
index ea9376b4a..37fd0fb39 100644
--- a/res/values/colors.xml
+++ b/res/values/colors.xml
@@ -2,4 +2,7 @@
 <resources>
     <drawable name="white_background">#ffffffff</drawable>
     <drawable name="text_color_black">#ff000000</drawable>        
+    
+    <color name="unread_bgcolor">#ffffffff</color>
+    <color name="read_bgcolor">#ffeeeeee</color>    
 </resources>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
index 9beb9ca88..2fc7684d8 100644
--- a/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
+++ b/src/org/thoughtcrime/securesms/ConversationListItem.java
@@ -113,7 +113,9 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
       this.subjectView.setText(thread.getBody(), TextView.BufferType.SPANNABLE);
 
     if (thread.getEmphasis())
-      ((Spannable)this.subjectView.getText()).setSpan(new StyleSpan(android.graphics.Typeface.ITALIC), 0, this.subjectView.getText().length(), Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);
+      ((Spannable)this.subjectView.getText()).setSpan(new StyleSpan(android.graphics.Typeface.ITALIC), 0,
+                                                                    this.subjectView.getText().length(),
+                                                                    Spannable.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);
 
     if (thread.getDate() > 0)
       this.dateView.setText(DateUtils.getRelativeTimeSpanString(getContext(), thread.getDate(), false));
@@ -124,6 +126,7 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
     if (batchMode) checkbox.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
     else           checkbox.setVisibility(View.GONE);
 
+    setBackground(read, batchMode);
     setContactPhoto(this.recipients.getPrimaryRecipient());
   }
 
@@ -167,6 +170,16 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
     }
   }
 
+  private void setBackground(boolean read, boolean batch) {
+    if (batch && checkbox.isChecked()) {
+      setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.list_selected_holo_light);
+    } else if (read) {
+      setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.conversation_list_item_background_read);
+    } else {
+      setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.conversation_list_item_background_unread);
+    }
+  }
+
   private boolean isBadgeEnabled() {
     return Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.HONEYCOMB;
   }
@@ -203,6 +216,8 @@ public class ConversationListItem extends RelativeLayout
     public void onCheckedChanged(CompoundButton buttonView, boolean isChecked) {
       if (isChecked) selectedThreads.add(threadId);
       else           selectedThreads.remove(threadId);
+
+      setBackground(read, true);
     }
   }