diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListItem.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListItem.java
index 34a029e87..0d8c27dd0 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListItem.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListItem.java
@@ -418,7 +418,8 @@ public class MessageListItem extends View {
     }
 
     private int getFontColor(int defaultColor) {
-        return isActivated() ? ACTIVATED_TEXT_COLOR : defaultColor;
+        return isActivated() && MessageListItemCoordinates.isMultiPane(mContext) ?
+                ACTIVATED_TEXT_COLOR : defaultColor;
     }
 
     @Override